Breathe In Union
by Spudzmom
Summary: "The Spirits say the wolf is yours girl. Keep him with you… always… for you will save each other." Story begins PRE-TWILIGHT - Story Cover by TheDarkestFallingStar - **Gold Winner - Non-Canon Fiction** and **Gold winner - Best Paul/Bella in the 2015 Non-Canon Awards**
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and any original characters herein. No copyright infringement intended.

A/N: This story is AU which means I've messed with the timeline, ages and characterizations. Hopefully I've done all that in such a way as to be pleasing to you, the readers. :-) Also, this is my first foray into the wolf pack side of Twilight, so try not to take up the flame throwers in too hasty a fashion, please. lol ~Spudz

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**Prologue:**

Shouts of outrage rang throughout the tiny red house at the latest call in the game on TV. "You gotta be kiddin' me!" Charlie Swan grumbled as he glanced at an equally disgusted Billy Black.

"That last flag was complete horse shit," Billy agreed as he rolled his chair across the floor toward the kitchen. "Ya want a beer?"

"Nah, I gotta drive home pretty soon, but thanks."

"Yeah, well, I really shouldn't either. Jake keeps a close eye on how many I drink these days. He'll give me all kinds of hell if I have another."

Charlie chuckled. "He's a good kid Billy. You're lucky to have him."

Billy rolled back into the room and took a sip of the water he'd grabbed in place of the beer he'd really wanted. "Don't I know it. His sisters stay gone almost constantly these days." He looked down into his lap and shook his head. "I don't know what I'd do without him." He glanced up at his friend. "It's not fair to him though."

Charlie stood and put a hand on his shoulder. "That boy loves you Billy. Don't sell him short. He'd probably get pissed if he heard you talkin' like this."

Billy chuckled ruefully. "Yeah, he probably would."

The ring tone on Charlie's phone caught their attention and he pulled it out and answered.

"Chief Swan here…" Billy watched him listen for a moment and then he met his gaze, a solemn expression on his face. "Yep, I'm close. I'll be right there. Got it."

Flipping the phone closed, he shook his head. "Damn."

Just then, a twelve year old Jake and his friend Embry came tearing into the house. "Dad! Something really bad's going down at the Lahote's! There's an ambulance and cop cars…"

Billy held up a hand to quiet his frantic son and looked at Charlie. "That what that call was about?"

Charlie glanced at the wide-eyed boys and back at his friend. "Yeah," he sighed, "…maybe you should come along since this is also tribal business. I may need ya."

Billy placed his water down on a low table and rolled to the door. "Jacob, you and Embry stay here son. I'll be back when I can."

When they rolled up and parked at the Lahote residence, it was just as the boys said. The ambulance was still there along with two police cruisers and the front door of the house was wide open with light spilling out onto the small front porch where an officer stood guard.

After helping Billy out of the car and into his chair, Charlie approached his officer. "Frank, what can you tell me?"

The man glanced at Billy quickly and then met Charlie's gaze. "Well Chief, we have one victim—thirty two year old female, the paramedics are readying for transport. She's been beaten real bad Chief, but they tell me they're pretty sure she'll pull through. There's one deceased—thirty four year old male, looks like he was stabbed with a kitchen knife. And finally, one fourteen year old male; he's been beaten but not nearly as bad as the woman. The medics say his left arm and collar bone are broken, so he'll have to be transported too… but Chief?" He sighed and ran a hand through his hair as Charlie waited. "He's the one that killed the male; his father. His mother, the female victim, told us the kid did it to save her."

Charlie hung his head and cut his gaze over to a grim looking Billy who was staring back at him. "Well," he said, shaking his head slowly, "Let's get in there and see what we got."

Charlie helped Billy into the house and walked into the living room where he could see a panicked young kid, struggling and crying as he was held back from his mother who was now on a stretcher. Charlie grimaced at the sight of her; she'd been beaten to a bloody pulp and was almost unrecognizable.

When he got close enough, he could hear her rasping out through split, swollen and bloody lips, "Paul, calm down baby, it'll be all right. I love you."

Still, the kid struggled on as his frightened and panicked gaze flitted from his mother to the medics. "Mom! No, you can't take her! Where are you taking her?! Lemme go damn it! I have'ta go with her! Lemme go!"

Billy rolled forward then, his voice resonating with authority when he spoke. "Paul Lahote! Calm down son. You won't do your mother or yourself any good by panicking, so just take some deep breaths and calm down. We're here to help you."

Charlie was amazed when Billy's words seemed to register with the kid and he stilled in the medic's hold as tears continued to stream down his beaten face.

One medic working on the woman caught Charlie's attention. "Chief, if you want a statement from her, ya better get it quick. We need to roll. She's got fractured ribs and from her breath sounds, her lung is about to collapse."

Charlie gave a nod and stepped forward into her line of sight. "Mrs. Lahote, I'm Chief Swan. Can you tell me what happened?"

She blinked once and began her wheezing response. "I came in from work and my husband, as usual, was drunk. He was bea—beating our son, Paul… I tried to stop him and he started beating me like usual, but this time, he didn't stop after a few punches and kicks. He just kept going and he looked crazy…" Her breath hitched and fresh tears traced into her bloodied hair. "P—Paul tried to pull him off me and couldn't… the next thing I knew, he collapsed and fell to the side with a knife sticking out of his neck. I had Paul dial 911." She grimaced in pain and the medic stepped in.

"That's it Chief, we gotta roll, sorry."

Charlie nodded and backed out of the way for them to wheel her out and looked over at the kid as the medics strapped him to another gurney.

He stepped forward and smoothed the hair back from the distraught boy's beaten face; a boy that was only a year older than his own daughter, Bella. "Don't worry kid. We're gonna take care of you and your mom all right? You just get better for your mom,'cause she's gonna need ya. Just think about that and don't worry about anything else."

The kid looked from Charlie's face to Billy's and back again before nodding. "Yeah, okay. I'll try."

They started to wheel him out but he grabbed Charlie's hand, his vivid hazel eyes wide with fright. "I ki—I killed him!" he cried quietly. His eyes closed tightly and his chin quivered as he struggled with the enormity of what had happened. When those piercing eyes opened again they locked on Charlie, full of fear and apprehension as he swallowed thickly before finding his voice again. "Am I—am I gonna go to jail?"

Charlie studied this scared and beaten kid for a moment and anger welled up inside him at what he and his mother had obviously gone through for who knew how long, until this night. He gently squeezed the kid's hand and shook his head, his voice choked in a rare display of emotion as he answered. "No kid, not if I have anything to say about it."

He placed the kid's hand on his chest with a pat, gave the medic a nod and they wheeled him out.

With a sigh, he rubbed his suspiciously misty eyes and looked around at his officers and the crew from the coroner who all stared back with solemn faces. They all, every last one of them, hated working scenes where kids were involved. "All right," he said gruffly, "let's get this scene processed and the body outta here. I'm sure we'd all like to go home sometime tonight."

**Your thoughts? Follows and faves are great, but reviews really let me know the level of interest. So if you like it and want me to continue, please leave a review. Chapter 1 is already done and ready to post, so let me hear from you! 'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and any original characters that may appear. No copyright infringement intended.**

**A/N: Thanks so much to everyone for the great feedback so far. I appreciate it and it keeps me typing away! This story and the relationship between Bella and Paul is inspired by the song Jambi by Tool. The story title is taken from the lyrics. Happy reading! ~Spudz**

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**~o0o~**

**Chapter 1**

Bella opened the door to Renee's car and gasped as the oppressive Arizona heat engulfed her. Really, it was something she'd never gotten used to, no matter how many years she'd lived here now, and she almost groaned in misery as she stood from the car. She really hadn't wanted to be here, but Renee'd insisted on going to the local Indian Pow Wow being hosted this year by the Navajo Nation and she'd dragged Bella along despite any protests she'd made.

Closing the door with a resigned sigh, she turned to her grinning mother who'd just dropped her sun glasses down over her eyes. "God Bella, aren't you excited? Our first real Pow Wow! I'm so stoked!"

Bella's brows rose at Renee's obvious excitement. No matter how many years went by, her mother's capacity for childish exuberance never failed to amaze her and she chuckled. "Stoked Renee? Really?"

Giggling, Renee trotted around the front of the car and slung an arm over Bella's shoulders. "Yeah, stoked! Now come on! I need to meet up with Dana and Kathy and I don't wanna miss any of the demonstrations!"

Several hours and countless bottles of water later, Bella stood up from the shaded stands where she'd been sitting with Renee and her friends. "Renee, I'm gonna go find a bathroom. I'll be back in a bit."

Without even glancing over, Renee waved absently as she laughed about something with her friends and Bella shook her head as she stepped down to the grass. She probably could have told Renee she was gonna run off and have a married man's babies and gotten the same response, but that was just Renee. Always had been and probably always would be.

Finishing the last of her water, she made her way to the concession area where she'd seen an actual bathroom instead of settling for one of the many outhouses scattered around the grounds.

As she tossed her empty water bottle into a nearby recycle bin, she passed a group of rough looking teens that were speaking lowly and laughing as they watched the many people pass by. They were obviously part of one of the many tribes here today and a couple of the boys were really gorgeous, especially the one who was now smirking at her. His eyes were the most striking shade of hazel mixed with amber she'd ever seen—there was something almost feral about them—and they were made even more remarkable by his messy jet-black hair and swarthy complexion.

_'He's beautiful… in a very bad-boy sort of way,'_ she thought and then cursed the instant blush she could feel heating her cheeks despite the high temperature of the day. _'What the hell is wrong with me? I never look twice at boys!'_ And it was true, probably thanks to the many men her mother had paraded in and out of their lives ever since she'd left Charlie. Well, she amended, until she'd met her new husband Phil anyway.

She looked down quickly as 'Hazel Eyes' leaned down and kissed the girl who was clinging to his side, even as those piercing eyes stayed mockingly pinned to her as she hurried past.

With the exception of 'Hazel Eyes', she'd thought she'd gotten by them unnoticed but she tensed and her heart sped when she heard one of the other boys yell out. "Hey pale face. You, with the long brown hair and luscious ass! Come on back baby, I got somethin' long and hard here for ya."

With the exception of 'Hazel Eyes', the group laughed and whistled and she stepped up her pace, just wanting to get away.

She breathed a sigh of relief when she rounded the corner of the bathroom and slipped inside where she proceeded to take her time, hoping to give them enough time to get bored and move along.

As she mechanically dried her hands and patted her face on one of those rough, brown paper towels all public restrooms seem to have, she studied her reflection in the graffiti covered mirror above the sink, seeing what she always saw; a plain, very pale girl with over-large nondescript brown eyes and disproportionate lips. _'Yeah,'_ she thought, _'nothing earth shattering about me; plain and all too forgettable.'_ She shrugged and tossed the towel in the waste bin by the door as she walked out.

It was probably just as well that she looked the way she did. She didn't need a man in her life. It would just complicate things. She was going to graduate this year, and leave for college. After that, she'd be too busy developing her career to deal with a man. At least, this was what she tried to convince herself of, even as a pair of piercing hazel/amber eyes flashed through her mind.

When she stepped back around the corner, she heaved a huge sigh of relief when she saw that the group had indeed moved on.

Feeling more confident now, she decided to check out some of the booths that were selling various items of jewelry and crafts instead of heading back to sit with her mother and her friends. She'd already been with them for hours now and she just wasn't in any hurry to get back to it.

As she browsed the various tables, she kept feeling drawn to one particular table where a very weathered old indian woman sat watching over her wares, but despite the tug she felt, she kept on course and viewed each booth and table in order. _'Be patient Bella…you'll get there eventually…'_ she thought as she turned back to look at a rack of t-shirts.

Eventually though, she did get there and when she did, the old woman was staring straight at her. Bella shivered as that wizened gaze settled on her like a cloak of lead and she jerked her gaze down to the jewelry on the table, doing her best to ignore the heavy feeling of—well, she didn't quite know what (fate maybe?)—that came over her.

The old woman's gravelly voice brought her attention right back up though as she wagged a craggy finger. "None of those are for you girl. I've been waiting for you. The Spirits have one thing set aside for you." She hopped off her stool with surprising grace and looked back at Bella. "Wait here girl. I'll be back."

Bella didn't even consider leaving as the old woman moved the tent flap aside and disappeared. For some strange reason, she just couldn't. It was as if she knew whatever the old indian woman had for her was vital, and so she stood and waited.

When the old woman walked back in, she was smiling as she stared deeply into Bella's eyes and handed her an intricate and tightly braided leather bracelet, upon which was a silver wolf with tiny amber jewels for eyes. It looked very old and expensive. "The Spirits say the wolf is yours girl. Keep him with you… always… for you will save each other." She inclined her head once while holding Bella's gaze and spoke once more. "So the Spirits have spoken."

She turned, sat back on her stool and looked away and only then did Bella find her voice. "It's beautiful, but how much do I owe you? I need to pay…"

She trailed off as the old woman spoke again. "You cannot buy that which the Spirits deem as yours girl, now go, and never forget their words."

Bella walked away from the old woman's booth in somewhat of a daze as she committed the words she'd heard to memory, _"The Spirits say the wolf is yours girl. Keep him with you… always… for you will save each other."_

_'Save each other?'_ she thought. _'How in the world can a piece of jewelry save me, or better yet, how can I save it?'_ She shook her head at the thought even as she struggled to tie the bracelet on. When she finally had it secure she gasped as she could have sworn the tiny amber eyes flashed to life for a moment. She scoffed at the thought. There was just no way that happened… right? She chuckled and rolled her eyes. Of course the eyes didn't flash… she was just letting her imagination get the best of her after all the talk of wolves and Spirits… _'Yeah, that's all it is… my crazy imagination.'_

Still, even with all the weirdness, she smiled as she studied the piece now securely fastened to her wrist. For some reason, just wearing it gave her a warm feeling inside… it was hard to put into words, but she almost felt empowered by it—like a rush of confidence and security, and she wondered at it as she made her way back through the many tents and booths.

Taking a quick glance at her cell phone to note the time, she was amazed to see she'd been gone from the stands where Renee was waiting, for an hour and so she picked up her pace to get back before her mother freaked. Renee was pretty absent minded and… well ditzy, but when she finally did notice her absence on any occasion when Bella'd done this before, she'd had a tendency to go overboard in the flippin' shits department.

So, focused on hurrying back as she was, she didn't really notice that she'd cut through the area behind the concession tents; an area that was deserted and relatively quiet. When she finally did notice, it was too late.

"Well, look what I found… my very own pale face with the luscious ass. Must be my lucky day," he said as he shoved Bella up against a parked truck.

Bella's heart stuttered and took off as she stared up at the boy who'd been yelling after her earlier. A quick look around confirmed her fears; they were alone and if the glazed look of his eyes didn't give it away, one whiff of his breath told her he was pretty drunk. _'This is bad,'_ she thought. _'And from the way he's leering at me, could only get worse.'_

"Look," she said, her voice trembling in fright, "just let me go. You don't want this kinda trouble. I'm sure when you sober up, you're gonna be shocked for even trying something like this, so don't ruin your life, just let me go."

He scowled and shoved her, pinning her against the truck with the whole weight of his body. "Who the fuck are you pale face? Dr. Fuckin' Phil? I don't need your philosophical bullshit so shut your fuckin' mouth. Better yet, lemme shut it for ya."

He slapped her then, hard, and her vision narrowed as she sucked in a shocked breath. She'd never been struck before and it was a shock to her system, to say the least. Tears sprang into her eyes as she turned her head back to face him, tasting the copper tang of blood as she licked her split lip.

He took in her shocked, wide-eyed stare with a grin. "Much better, now where were we? Oh yeah," he said as he took her mouth in a brutal kiss as his left hand came up to painfully squeeze her breast.

She struggled and whimpered, but as soon as she opened her mouth to try to scream, he shoved his tongue in and she gagged.

Finally, her brain kicked in and she bit down, causing him to draw back with a snarl. "You bitch!" he hissed as she felt his fist connect with her cheek, causing her to cry out loudly.

She was literally seeing stars and hearing white noise now, he'd hit her so hard, but she did manage to register when the crushing weight of his body was gone and she slid down to the ground, trying desperately to make out what was going on.

There was a struggle going on, just in front of her and she tried to dry the tears from her eyes so she'd be able to see. There were two figures, one over another, throwing furious punches as he spoke. "You like beating women, you piece a' shit? Well, how ya like getting beat instead?"

The figure on the bottom cried out and whimpered, "Fuck, stop! She's just a pale-face bi…"

His sentence was cut short by a fist connecting with his face and Bella curled in on herself and let her sobs take her. She was quickly going into shock and she didn't think she could pull herself out of it at the moment so she tucked into the smallest ball she could and cried.

The feeling of strong arms scooping her into a comforting lap startled her and she whimpered before the feeling of gentle fingers running through her hair soothed her. "Shh, it's all right now. He's gone and I've got ya. You're all right."

She relaxed into his hold and rested her head against his firmly muscled chest as she got control of her tears.

When she finally did gain control, she looked up and lost herself, once again, in the piercing intensity of that hazel/amber gaze.

"It's you," she murmured and he cocked a brow and gave her a wan smile.

"So, I made an impression, did I?"

She was just about to respond when Renee and two cops rushed around one of the tents. "Bella!" her mother screamed when she got a look at her face. "What did he do to you baby?"

One of the cops grabbed Bella gently as the other grabbed 'Hazel Eyes' and shoved him face first over the hood of the truck while cuffing him quickly.

It all happened so fast that Bella was shocked silent, but as soon as she heard the distinct clicking noise of those cuffs going on her savior, righteous anger welled up and she jumped between the shocked cop and the boy who'd saved her. "Leave him alone and take these damn cuffs off him!" she yelled as the other cop tried to grab her again. "He didn't do anything! He saved me! Why don't you go find the real bad guy? He should be easy to spot because he," she pointed at a still cuffed and spread-eagle 'Hazel Eyes', "…kicked his ass for doing this to me!"

The cop holding 'Hazel Eyes' face-first against the hood of the truck turned to him. "That the truth kid?" and 'Hazel Eyes' scoffed and rolled those beautiful eyes.

"Yeah, it's true."

Bella's mouth dropped open, before she found her voice again. "Are you kidding? Why would I lie about that?"

The cop shrugged. "Some girls seem to like gettin' slapped around, and then they lie about it to save their poor boyfriend." He shrugged. "It happens more often than you'd care to know, little girl."

Bella stared at 'Hazel Eyes' for a moment and worked to get herself under control. She needed a cool head here, because this was just getting out of hand and freaking out on these cops wasn't helping their case any.

She ran a hand through her hair. "Look Officer, I've never seen him before today." She gestured at a freaked and crying Renee. "That's my mother and she can attest that we don't know him. He heard me being attacked and did the noble thing by helping me out and then comforting me when I was an emotional wreck. I'd never been hit before today so it was a bit much to take in." She pinned the cop holding 'Hazel Eyes' with a steady gaze. "Now you have an innocent guy—a hero really—cuffed and face down on a truck; treatment he doesn't deserve, so please do the right thing and let him go."

The cop holding 'Hazel Eyes' turned toward his partner. "Check their I.D., verify that they're mother and daughter." He looked back at Bella. "If that checks out, you'll all be free to go."

Bella nodded. "Good, thank you."

Bella was just glad that she had her school ID with her and that it listed Renee Dwyer on the back as her mother, otherwise they would have had fun proving their relationship. Who the hell carries copies of divorce and custody papers?

Once the cop verified everything, he nodded at his partner who took the cuffs off and turned 'Hazel Eyes' loose. "Stay outta trouble kid, and next time, let us handle it."

Bella grabbed onto her rescuer's arm as he sneered at the cop but he relaxed at her touch and looked down at her with an unreadable expression. Bella saw a softness in those striking eyes though and was reassured by it. "Let it go," she whispered, "It's not worth it." And he nodded as she steered him toward Renee and away from the cops.

"So you saved my baby," Renee gushed and threw herself at a tense 'Hazel Eyes' who glanced at Bella as Renee finally backed away. "Thank you." She dug in her purse, pulled out a twenty and tried to hand it to him but he backed away with a scowl. "I don't want your money lady. That's not why I did what I did." He shook his head. "Look, I'm just gonna leave now. Have a nice life…" he glanced at a mortified Bella, "…and stay safe."

With that he spun around and stalked off and Bella shot her mother a dark look just as she made a split-second decision. She couldn't let him leave without getting to know him—there was a pull—a drive to know him that she couldn't ignore, so she tore off after him, shouting back to a spluttering Renee, "I'll meet you at the gate when the Pow Wow's over!"

Rounding the corner where she'd watched him disappear, she yelled as she spotted him, "Hey! Wait!" and almost sighed in relief when she saw him stop and slowly turn back. She caught up quickly and smiled as best she could with a swollen lip as she stuck out her hand. "Hi. I'm Bella. Can I buy you a coke?"

He rolled his eyes as he took her hand, finally cracking a small smile. "Paul and yeah, I could go for a coke."

Bella beamed at him. "Great, let's go."

**Your thoughts? Ya like it? Lemme know!**

**Find me on Facebook if ya wanna.**

**I go by Laura Spudzmom**

**'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and any original characters therein. No copyright infringement intended.

A/N: Hi all! For any who may wonder about Paul's characterization, I would say that we will see his infamous anger issues later in the story. At this point, he still has not phased, although he is getting very close to the fever stage. At present, he is visiting maternal cousins in AZ for the summer, but still lives in La Push. It's July in the story and I'm making him a Leo, so we'll celebrate his birthday with him.

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~o0o~

**Chapter 3**

**~ Lyrics from Jambi ~**

**Shine on forever.**  
**Shine on benevolent sun.**

**Shine on upon the broken.**  
**Shine until the two become one.**

**Shine on forever.**  
**Shine on benevolent sun.**

**Shine on upon the severed.**  
**Shine until the two become one.**

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**~o0o~**

They fell into step together and only then did Bella register just how tall Paul was. She glanced up at him and he smirked. "What's up shorty?"

She gasped and looked at him in outrage. "I hate to break this to you but I'm not short. You're just abnormally tall."

He raised his brows as one hand clutched at his chest. "Did you just call me abnormal?!" He tossed his head back in mock pain. "That cuts deep shrimpy." He glanced at her as she chuckled. "Seriously—you cut, I bleed. Be careful with my tender heart," he finished in mock distress.

She grinned. "I'm pretty sure your armor is pretty thick Captain Sarcasm."

He nodded. "Ya got me there Wee One."

She kicked the bottom of his shoe as he took a step and he laughed. "Really? What are you? Five?"

She smirked. "Well, it was the only non-sensitive area I could reach and.. ya know… we just met and all."

"Okay, ya got me there."

He gestured over to a little concession trailer and Bella shot him a puzzled look as he led her around the back where the door was propped open. He smiled and held up a hand to stop her questions as he poked his head in the door. "Hey Rudy, gimme two cokes and some ice in a towel, would ya?"

Bella stood awkwardly as this Rudy person poked his head out and smacked Paul on the back of his head as he ducked and laughed. "What makes you think I'll give you anything?"

Paul smiled widely and something fluttered in Bella's stomach at the sight. "Because you're my cousin and you love me? Plus," he gestured to Bella, "I have a guest and you don't want to be a rude asshole in front of a guest."

Rudy snorted as he cocked a dark brow at Paul. "That never stopped me before." Then he glanced at Bella and sighed. "But shit if she doesn't look like a sweet girl." He smiled at Bella and she returned it with a slight wave. He looked back at Paul. "Beautiful, but not your usual flavor, for sure. You better be nice, 'cause she looks worth kickin' your ass over if you hurt her."

Paul held up both hands. "I've been a perfect gentleman!" He looked at Bella. "Haven't I?"

Bella nodded. "He has. He even saved me from the guy who did this." She gestured to the swelling on her face and Rudy scowled and looked at Paul. "You kicked his ass good I hope?"

Paul nodded. "I did."

Rudy smiled widely. "Well then, two cokes and some ice comin' up!"

Paul sat at a little picnic table that shared the shade of the concession trailer and patted the seat next to him. "Don't be shy now Bella. You practically ran me down catching up to me, remember?" He grinned and tilted his head to the side. "Come on, have a seat." She walked over and sat as she rolled her eyes and a second later he caught a clean, white towel that was tied around a bundle of ice. "Nice throw Cuz," he said as he settled back on the bench and gently placed the ice against the worst of the swelling on her cheek.

Rudy poked his head out. "Nice catch."

Paul smirked as he stared into Bella's eyes. "I know."

With the heated look that was now in those eyes, Bella had to wonder if he was really thinking about the ice, which led to an immediate blush as she dropped her gaze.

"Wow, that's quite the blush there Bellaaa," he drew out her name as he said it. "Wanna tell me what brought that on?"

She shot a glare at his smirking face and looked away as she answered. "Not particularly."

"Oooh, I'm all intrigued now," he said with a chuckle.

Rudy set two cokes on the table and flicked Paul's ear. "Shit, that hurt you ass," he hissed.

"Yeah well, quit teasing beautiful Bella then." He winked at her and went back in the trailer as Bella chuckled.

Paul rubbed his injured ear. "Think that's funny, eh?"

She smiled as she took a sip of her coke. "Maybe."

He cocked an inky brow and she laughed lightly. "Okay, yeah. You two are sweet."

Paul scowled. "You did _not_ just say that about me! Call my cousin sweet all you want, but I am not sweet."

She laughed outright as he shuddered.

"Did I insult your masculinity Paul?" She grinned.

Rudy stuck his head out. "Don't let him bullshit you Bella! His mother calls him sweet all the time." He ducked back in, laughing as Paul looked around for something to throw at him. When he couldn't find anything, he raised his voice. "That's all right Cuz. I'll catch up with you later when we get home."

Bella laughed when she heard a loud and high pitched "You don't scare me Paulie!" come from the trailer.

Paul looked at her and shook his head as he moved the ice gently to the side of her mouth and she flinched and hissed. He met her eyes. "Yeah, it's gonna hurt for a couple of days, sorry."

She smiled carefully. "No, it's all right." She looked down for a beat and then back at him. "Thanks for everything Paul. You didn't have to do any of this…"

He looked down with a solemn expression and she wondered at the sudden mood change. "No, it's okay. I'm just glad I was there in time. Guys shouldn't beat on girls…"

He looked off into the distance and his expression was tough for Bella to read. He looked angry and sad and a bit lost and her heart squeezed at seeing it. As far as she was concerned, he should never look like that.

"Hey," she said as she reached for his hand. "You okay?"

He looked down at their joined hands and nodded as his face literally went blank before her eyes. When he looked up, he smirked and she realized in that moment, it was his favored mask, and filed that info away.

"What's this?" he asked as he ran a finger over her new bracelet.

She gasped as something like a pulse of energy ran through the bracelet and into her arm at his touch and she met his eyes. "Wow," she said with wonder. "That was…"

His brow pinched. "What was what?"

"Hard to explain," she said, as her brows drew together.

He tilted his head down to catch her gaze and grinned. "Try?"

She rolled her eyes. "Like I could refuse such a plea…"

His smile turned triumphant. "I know."

She cocked a brow at him. "You're awfully sure of yourself."

He leaned back and gestured to himself. "I have reason to be," he said as he waggled his brows and she laughed.

"So arrogant!"

"True, and we could spend all day talking about me, but you were gonna explain that bracelet and the weirdness…"

She sighed. "Okay, but I don't know much about it. I just got it from a booth earlier today." She took a drink of soda and glanced at him as he stared expectantly. "There was a really old lady there and when I went to look at her jewelry, she told me that none of it was for me."

"Really? I'm shocked. Usually those vendors do all they can to sell their shit."

Bella shrugged a shoulder. "Well, that's what she told me. Then she said she'd been waiting for me and that the Spirits had something for me. She went in the back and came out with this. When I asked how much, she said that I can't pay for something the Spirits already deemed as mine, and she sent me on my way."

He set the ice on the table, leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest. "Huh," he said as he shook his head. "That has to be the weirdest story I've heard since the last bonfire I went to."

Bella bit the undamaged part of her lip and glanced up at him. "That's not the weirdest part. She told me, and I quote,_"The Spirits say the wolf is yours. Keep him with you… always… for you will save each other."_

His brows disappeared under his artfully messy hair. "No shit?" He hopped up and took her hand. "Come on, we're gonna go see this old lady."

Bella tugged her hand but he didn't let go. "No Paul! That's gonna be just too weird! What if she gets mad that I told you?"

He shrugged. "So we won't say anything to her. We're just shopping and shit, right? That's what people do at these things."

She smirked at him. "And here I thought it was all about sharing your customs and culture."

He smirked right back as he tugged her along gently. "Yeah, sure it is, and we're glad to do it as long as you part with a healthy amount of cash in the process."

When they got to the row of tents where Bella had been given the bracelet, they stopped and he looked down at her. "Damn, you really are tiny." She scowled and he held up both hands. "No seriously, how tall are you?"

"I'm five feet four inches, oh pole of the totem."

He smirked. "Yeah, I have one, but like you said, we just met and I'm not that kinda guy." He looked down at her and batted his lashes and she laughed.

"God knows I wouldn't want to compromise your virtue, unsullied as it must be."

They started walking again and he answered. "That's right, so just keep your hands to yourself."

Bella scoffed. "You mean like that girl that was draped all over you earlier?"

He looked at her with his mouth open in mock shock. "Why Bella, I _did_ make an impression earlier didn't I?" He shrugged. "She's just an acquaintance."

"Really?" Bella cocked a skeptical brow up at him. "Then what am I?"

He slung an arm around her shoulders and pulled her into his side as they walked. "You're my Wee little friend."

"Friend now am I?"

"Yes," he nodded.

"Well, good, then I can do this," and she elbowed him in the ribs.

He calmly reached down and brushed off where she'd hit him. "What was that?" He asked with a grin.

She was busy rubbing her elbow. "Damn, are you wearing armor under that shirt?"

He smirked. "No, I'm just very well built."

"Yeah, like a damn tank," she grumbled as she pointed to a tent. "This is it." She looked up at him. "If this lady get's pissed and starts throwing hexes or some kinda mumbo-jumbo, I'm hiding behind you, got it?"

He looked down at her with an incredulous grin. "Mumbo-jumbo?" he laughed and she scowled.

"Well, she was kinda scary in a woooeeeeooo sorta way," she said as she wiggled her fingers and he bent over laughing.

"Holy shit Bella… I think I'll keep you."

"Yeah, yeah," she grumbled. "Ya just gotta remember to feed and water me. Now," she looked at him, "are we gonna do this or what? This was your idea after all."

He quit laughing and cleared his throat. "Okay, let's do this."

They walked up to the table and, much to Bella's surprise, there was a middle-aged man there. "Um, excuse me?"

The man looked at her and she continued. "I was here earlier and there was an old woman that helped me…"

She trailed off as the man shook his head. "Sorry miss, but I've been here all day. I closed down for lunch, but that was it. Are you sure it was this booth?"

Bella looked up at Paul who cocked a brow at her. She looked back at the man. "Yeah, I'm certain this was it. She sat right where you're sitting and she gave me this." She held out her wrist and the man leaned forward to see the bracelet.

"Huh," he muttered as he adjusted his glasses. He sat back and shook his head again. "It's a nice piece, authentic and very old, but it's not anything I've ever seen. I'm sorry."

She nodded and she and Paul walked away. When they had cleared the vendor's area, she glanced at him. "So you probably think I'm crazy now, huh?"

He took a moment to answer and she cringed at what he may be thinking until he finally spoke. "I don't think you're crazy, but this is kinda disturbing in a very woooeeeooo type of way." He wiggled his fingers while laughing and deftly dodged a smack to his arm.

"All right, I totally deserved that." She peeked at him as they made their way back to Rudy's concession trailer. "So now what?"

He shrugged. "Some old lady snuck in while the dude was at lunch and gave you a bracelet that didn't belong to him in the first place. It's yours now. End of story."

She stared ahead and finally nodded. "Okay. End of story," she said, but she couldn't help feeling that it was anything but.

He bumped her shoulder as they walked up to the picnic table and sat down. "So, you gonna give me your number so we can hang out sometime?"

"You wanna hang out?" she asked, slightly surprised.

"Well, yeah, unless you don't want to."

No!" I mean, yeah, I do… wanna hang out." She blushed and looked down and he laughed.

"No pressure Bella. It's not like I asked you on a date or anything, because I don't date." He picked up his soda and took a sip.

She blew out a breath as she rushed out, "I don't either…date that is. At least I've never been on one before."

He nudged her as she tried to cover her embarrassment by taking a long pull from her soda. His look was one of interest and curiosity. "Never been on a date… hmm, well, we're gonna hang out." He grinned. "Then, maybe we'll see about a date."

Bella promptly choked on her soda.

Paul smirked.

**Your thoughts? I love hearing from you so keep the reviews coming. It truly keeps me motivated and in the game.**

**'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and the original characters therein. No copyright infringement intended.**

**~o0o~**

**A/N: My heartfelt thanks to the many who've taken the time to review! You guys are the fuel that drives this engine. I also think you're pretty awesome. ~Spudz**

* * *

**~o0o~**

**Chapter 4**

**~ Jambi ~**

**Here from the king's mountain view**  
**Here from a wild dream come true**  
**Feast like a sultan I do**  
**On treasures and flesh, never few.**

**But I, I would wish it all away.**  
**If I thought I'd lose you just one day.**

**~o0o~**

Bella stood in front of her closet, staring at her wardrobe with unseeing eyes as she thought about the last two weeks.

_Paul_

Since their unconventional meeting at the Pow Wow her mother had forced her to, they'd spent every day 'hanging out' together and Bella had never been so… happy… obsessed… captivated. Briefly, the word 'love' ghosted through her thoughts and she scoffed at herself. _'What the hell? Love? God, I've gone from avoiding the male species entirely to standing here in my underwear contemplating being in love after knowing him two weeks? I've lost it!'_

She shook her head and muttered, "Get a grip Bella," as she pulled out a shirt and shorts and got dressed. "He's just a friend." Still, if she were to be honest with herself, she'd have to admit to wanting more.

There had been a few times when they'd been playing around with each other, when she'd longed to feel his lips against hers and while the thought of that happening caused her heart to race, it scared her in equal measure because she was afraid to lose the easy friendship that had bloomed between them.

Walking over to her dresser, she picked up the small box that held his birthday gift; a single diamond stud earring. It had cost her just under a thousand out of her savings, but to her, it was worth it. He was worth it because, in just the brief time she'd known him, he'd become the dearest person in her life, effortlessly, naturally, as if he was always meant to be there and just thinking about that brought a smile to her face.

Turning, she grabbed her small backpack, put his gift inside, and headed downstairs.

Just as she reached the bottom landing, Phil, Renee's new husband came through the front door. "Oh hey Bella," he greeted as he dumped his gear bag next to the door. "How ya been?"

"Great," she said brightly with a smile. "I think Renee's in the back yard. I'm sure she'll be happy to see you."

He grinned. "Thanks. Yeah, these long road trips are hell without her." He waved over his shoulder as he made his way toward the back door. "See ya later Bella."

Grabbing Renee's car key from the hook, Bella went to the back door, opened it and stuck her head out only to cringe as she saw her mother and Phil already locked in a heated embrace. "Uh, I'm leaving to meet up with Paul now."

Renee didn't even look away from Phil as she answered absently. "Yeah, okay honey. Have fun."

Bella sighed, shut the door and walked out the front to the car. Sliding in behind the wheel, she sat for a moment and thought about her situation. She didn't begrudge Renee for finally being in love. She was happy for her. But it was hard to go from being the one that held everything together in the household to being an inconvenience and hindrance to her mother's happiness. And that's exactly how she saw herself in this new family dynamic; an inconvenience.

As she started the car and made her way out of their cul-de-sac, she couldn't escape the thought that Renee would be much happier in her new life without a teen daughter around holding her back.

Although Renee had never said so, Bella knew she was the reason her mother never went on these road-trips with Phil and she also knew it was something she really wanted to do. She'd overheard Phil trying to talk her into it, but Renee had refused, not wanting to leave Bella alone for so long at a time and shockingly, once the woman had made up her mind on something, there was no moving her.

Bella sighed and drummed her fingers on the top of the wheel as she pulled up to a stop light. She had an alternative; a solution that would satisfy her mother at least. She could go live with Charlie, but she cringed at the thought of leaving here— _of leaving Paul._

Before Paul, she'd had all this pretty much figured out and leaving Arizona hadn't really registered on her giving-a-shit meter, but now—even though they were just friends, she couldn't stand the thought of losing him.

For as long as she could remember, she'd always put aside her own needs and desires in deference to those of Renee's and frankly, it had come as a shock when she realized she wasn't willing to do that this time, so she'd decided, as long as she had Paul, Arizona was home and that's the way it would stay.

Pulling into the main entryway of the local mall, Bella smiled brightly when she saw Paul waiting by the fountain where they always met and she parked and simply watched him for a moment, thinking, not for the first time, how achingly gorgeous he was. But for all of his looks, she loved his eyes the most. They truly were the windows to his soul; a soul she'd learned to read, it seemed, in no time at all.

Shaking herself from her thoughts, she got out of the car, locked it and stowed the key in her bag as she walked toward him. He hadn't seen her yet as he was facing slightly away and she chuckled as he rolled his eyes at a group of girls trying their best to gain his attention.

According to his cousins, he had quite the reputation with the female population, but Bella didn't let that bother her. She knew him; knew his heart, knew his soul and knew deep in her own soul that he was warm and loving and kind, even if he did possess one hell of a temper. A temper which she'd only seen once so far.

When she was close, Paul turned his head and smiled at her. "Hey Shorty."

She sat by him and bumped his arm with her shoulder. "Hey Lofty, what's up?"

He smirked down at her. "Not you," he said and she rolled her eyes.

"And I suppose you are."

"Always," he said with a wicked grin.

She raised both brows and stared him down and he laughed. "You walked into that one."

"Yeah," she sighed. "I suppose I did," she said as she looked over at the now disappointed knot of girls across from them. As she watched, the girls shot her dirty looks as they walked toward the mall entrance and Bella said, "Oh darn, looks like your fangirls are leaving."

He glanced over and threw an arm around her shoulders. "S'okay, I still have you and you're my biggest little fan."

She smirked at him. "Keep it up and I'll bite your ankle."

He grinned. "Kinky… I like it." He stretched out one long leg and pointed. "Wearin' boots though so that might be a problem at the moment. "I'll take a rain-check though."

"Gah," she said, smiling as she poked him in the ribs. "Do you ever stop?!"

He pulled her close and kissed the top of her head. "No, and it's my birthday, so you have to put up with my shit."

"Oooh!" she said as she unzipped her bag and fished out his gift. She met his eyes and handed him the little wrapped package. "Happy Birthday."

He stared at it for a beat and took it gently from her outstretched hand. "You didn't have to get me anything." He met her eyes and she smiled.

"I wanted to!" She nudged into his side. "Well, come on! Open it!" She grinned and Paul just watched her for a moment, and it was then, with that wide beautiful smile on her face and that sparkle of pure happiness in those deep brown eyes, that he realized she was the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen; so beautiful, his heart ached with it.

Giving himself a mental shake, he cleared the sudden lump from his throat and began opening the gift. When he finally revealed the small jewelry box, he tried to lighten the mood as he held it up and placed a hand on his chest. "Why Bella, you haven't even asked my mother for my hand yet!"

She rolled her eyes and laughed. "Just open it!"

So he did.

"Holy shit Shorty." He looked at her with wide eyes. "This looks real."

She grinned proudly. "That's because it is."

"Bella…" He stared down at it and trailed a finger over the diamond before looking back at her. "This is too much."

She stared into those hazel/amber eyes that were full of emotion and smiled softly. "Do you like it?"

"Yeah," he murmured. "Very much."

She reached up and caressed his cheek. "Then that's all that matters."

She got up and stood between his knees as she took out the little silver hoop he wore and replaced it with the diamond stud. "There," she murmured as she rested her hand on his neck just below his ear as she met his eyes. "It's perfect on you. I knew it would be."

He reached up and placed his hand just beneath her jaw, and gently rubbed her cheek with his thumb. "Bella…" He whispered as he gently urged her forward with his hand and Bella quietly gasped as his lips brushed hers… once… twice… and then with a tilt of his head he deepened the kiss and she was lost. Lost to the feel of his lips against hers. Lost to the connection, the pounding of their hearts, the feel of his strong shoulders under her hands and finally lost to the taste of him as his tongue played languorously with hers. It was what she considered her first kiss, and to her, it couldn't have been more perfect.

He ended it by gently sucking on the bow of her upper lip and her eyes opened as he gently drew away to look at her.

"Please tell me this won't ruin things for us," she whispered and he smiled softly.

"No way Shorty," he said quietly. "I can only see it getting better and better."

She studied his eyes for a moment before tucking herself into his embrace. "Good, because you're important to me and I don't wanna lose you."

He tightened his arms around her and kissed her neck as a phantom fist squeezed his heart when he thought about La Push and his eventual return, but he couldn't bring himself to talk about that today.

Not today… because today was too perfect, and he was determined it would stay that way.

**Your thoughts? Leave some love please? Only takes a moment but it means a lot to me. 'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and any original characters therein. No copyright infringement intended.**

**A/N: Hi all! I'm sick with a monster cold at the moment, but managed to get this chapter out for you. Hope it's worth the read. Thanks to all who reviewed! It's so great hearing from you. Keep the questions and comments coming. I'll do my best to answer them. For any interested, I post daily updates on what I'm writing on Facebook. Look me up if you want. I go by Laura Spudzmom. ~Spudz**

* * *

**~o0o~**

**Chapter 5**

**~ Jambi ~**

**Dim my eyes**  
**If they should compromise**  
**Our fulcrum**  
**Wants and needs divide me**  
**then I might as well be**  
**gone.**

**~o0o~**

Bella sat and watched with amusement as kids ran in and out of the house, hopped up on birthday cake as they were.

After meeting at the mall, she and Paul had driven back to his Aunt's house where they'd had lunch and a small, family party for him and now here she was, tucked into Paul's side as they tried to watch a movie; 'tried' being the operative word.

She looked at Paul as a kid ran screaming in front of the TV and smiled when he didn't even flinch. "Are you even getting any of this?" she asked and he slowly turned his head to look at her.

"Yeah, aren't you?" He looked puzzled and her brows rose.

"With all this noise? No way. Can't hear half of it and I'm too distracted for the other half."

"Huh," he picked up his soda and took a drink. "Well, you wanna do something else?"

"Sure," she said. "But what?"

Two more kids ran by, laughing and squealing with Rudy hot on their heels. "Stay outta my stuff you little shits!" he yelled as he skidded to a stop just in front of Paul and Bella. He glanced over at them looking very indignant and Bella pressed her lips together to keep from grinning.

Paul however, didn't have a problem with showing his amusement as he grinned at his pissed off cousin. "You know, there's a solution to this problem, right?"

Rudy glared. "Yeah, kill them with fire."

Bella dropped her head when she lost the battle and grinned and Paul shook his head. "Although effective, that's not what I had in mind. I was thinking more along the lines of your grown ass getting your own place. Shit, you're like pushing thirty, right?"

Rudy rolled his eyes and flipped him off. "Yeah, in about eight years; you know I'm only twenty-two you ass."

Bella laughed as, in the next room, they heard a kid yell "Mom! Paul said shit and Rudy said ass!"

Adding to the audible chaos, Paul's Aunt yelled from the kitchen, "Caden, that doesn't mean you should repeat it! Paul! Rudy! Come on you two! Gimme a break here."

"Sorry!" they yelled in unison and Bella stared around at all the noise and chaos with wide eyes. "How do you guys stand it?" she asked incredulously.

Rudy flopped onto the love-seat. "Pfft. This is nothing. You should see this place when we have a big family get-together." He looked at Bella. "I take it you're not used to this sort of thing."

"Nope," she said with a shake of her head. "I'm an only child of parents who were both only children."

Rudy smirked. "Well, just know that you were blessed by the gods Bella, truly. A lifetime of peace and solitude any time you wanted it. God," he sighed as he propped his feet on the arm of the love-seat. "What utter bliss that would be."

"Don't kid yourself Rudy. My life hasn't been all roses. My parents divorced when I was a baby and I've been raising my mother ever since."

Bella glanced at Paul as he took his arm from around her and sat forward with his elbows on his knees. He looked… troubled and she was just about to ask what was wrong when Rudy broke in. "Damn Cuz! Is that rock you're wearin' real?"

A small smile curved his lips and he nodded. "Yeah, Bella gave it to me for my birthday."

"Damn, you hit the jackpot with her as a girlfriend bro; beautiful, classy and generous."

Paul stood and held out a hand to Bella. "Come on, let's get outta here." He looked at Rudy who was now busy surfing the channels for something to watch. "Later Cuz."

Rudy waved a hand. "Later bro. See ya Bella!"

Paul laced their fingers together and tugged her gently toward the door and she waved. "Bye Rudy!"

Once they were in the car, Bella glanced over at him as she started the engine. "So, where to? It's still your birthday, so it's your choice."

He smirked. "How about I meet your mom for real?"

She sent him a flat look. "You want to go to my house and meet Renee on your birthday?

"Sure," he said as he reclined the seat back a bit. "It's quiet there, right?"

She pulled onto the main road and nodded. "Most days, yeah, except when Renee has friends over." She stopped at a red light and looked at him. "Renee, her friends and tequila?" She shook her head and accelerated when the light turned. "I'd have to get you outta there in a hurry. But Phil's home now, so I think we're safe."

"That bad?" he laughed and Bella shot him a serious look.

"Yes."

He reached forward and turned on the stereo. "Thank god for Phil then."

She pulled into the driveway a few minutes later and cut the engine. "You sure you wanna do this?"

His brows rose. "Bella, you just spent a good part of the day around my crazy cousins. I got this."

She nodded and they got out. As they walked toward the front door, it opened and Renee and Phil stepped out, Phil with his gear bag over his shoulder.

"Hey Renee," Bella said as Paul took her hand. "We were just coming to hang out and watch a movie or something, plus Paul wanted to meet you formally, so Paul, meet Renee and Phil Dwyer."

He reached forward and shook their hands but glanced at Bella when he noticed Phil staring up at him with something like disbelief on his face. "Nice to meet you."

"You too Paul," Phil said and then shook his head with a smile. "You don't happen to play baseball do you Paul?"

Paul grinned. "Yeah, I pitch. Got a full ride this fall to Udub."

Phil looked gleeful. "Baseball scholarship?"

Paul nodded. "Yeah. Got one for academics too though. My Mom and Charlie stayed on my ass all the way through school to make sure I got it."

Bella was taking all this in with wide eyes. Finally, she found her voice. "Washington? Baseball?" she muttered as he met her eyes.

"Yeah, I was gonna tell you all that later."

She nodded and Phil spoke up. "Well, hey, if you're not busy, why don't you join us? We were just on the way to the ballpark so I could get in some batting practice. Maybe you could throw some. I'd love to see what ya got."

Paul looked at Bella and once she saw the excited sparkle in his eyes, there was no way she could protest so she smiled. "It's your birthday, remember?"

He squeezed her hand and turned back to Phil. "That'd be great."

They walked back to the cars and Phil threw his bag in the back of his SUV. "You guys wanna ride with us?" he asked as he opened the passenger door for Renee.

Bella shook her head. "No, we'll follow just in case we wanna leave before you're through or something."

"Okay, no problem. See you there."

Once they were on their way, Bella glanced at Paul who looked back at her expectantly. "Go ahead and ask Shorty."

"Why Washington?"

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Because it's where I'm from. I'm only here visiting as I do just about every summer since my mom thinks it's important for me to have strong family ties." He looked away and Bella couldn't help but think there must be more to that, but she wouldn't pry.

The really important information she was processing at the moment was that his home is in Washington. "What part of Washington?" she asked, as hope and excitement sparked within her.

She saw him look at her from the corner of her eye as he answered. "Uh, it's a really small place. You probably wouldn't know it, but I live on the reservation in La Push, just outside a town called Forks."

Bella gasped and pulled off on the shoulder and Paul turned toward her. "Bella, what's wrong?"

She put the car in park and turned to face him. "Forks? Seriously?" she asked as a smile slowly bloomed on her face. "Holy shit! This is too good to be true!" She laughed and Paul's brows rose as he watched her.

"All right Shorty, what's going on? Why's that too good to be true?"

She undid her seat belt and launched herself at him and he caught and held her. "Whoa! Start talking Shorty, because you're freaking me out a little."

She laughed as she kissed his neck and started to explain. "My dad lives there! And, before meeting you, I had planned to go live with him for my last year of high school, so Renee and Phil could do their thing. When I met you though, and I thought you were from here, I scrapped the plan because I didn't want to lose you."

He drew back. "Who's your dad Shorty? Maybe I know of him."

She sat back in her seat, still facing him. "Well, you probably do know him. Most everyone does since he's the Chief of Forks P.D."

Her brow pinched as she watched some of the color drain from Paul's face. "Charlie Swan is your dad? _You're_ Charlie's Bella?" He looked away and ran a hand through his hair. "Shit… oh… shit," he muttered as his hands clenched into fists.

"What?" she asked, fear and confusion plain on her face. "Paul, why does that seem to be a bad thing to you?"

He finally looked back at her and he still looked a bit green. "Because I do know him. Pretty fucking well in fact. He's... dating my mom and has been for a couple of years now."

Bella's eyes went wide. "Charlie's dating?" She looked down at her hands. "He never said anything…" She glanced back up. "Of course, it's not like I've really tried to know him over the last few years… I even refused to go there for visits… We'd usually spend a week or so in California and then go our separate ways but I haven't even done that in the last three years…"

Paul nodded. "That explains why he doesn't have any recent pictures of you." He met her eyes. "You've changed a lot over the years, by the way. At least from the pictures I saw. He always talked about you and showed me pictures of you, but… god! I just never put it together, ya know?"

Bella stared down at her lap as her heart sank. "Does this change things? You don't want to be friends or anything else with me now?"

He held a hand out to her. "Come 'ere Shorty."

He helped her over into his lap and held her head against his chest as he spoke. "No Bella, this isn't gonna change things for us. I was just a bit shocked… and to be honest, I'm trying to figure out how to break all this to Charlie in a way that won't end with me losing my balls, ya know?"

She laughed lightly and he chuckled. "I'm serious though. Let's just say he knows my less than sterling reputation with the local female population."

She leaned back to see his face. "So he knows you're a Casanova, eh?"

Bella watched in surprise as Paul actually blushed a little. "Well, yeah, but I never hurt any of them, ya know? They all knew what they were getting into… that I didn't date and that nothing was serious…" He looked down at her. "You understand Shorty? I was never less than honest with any of them."

Bella looked down and nodded. "I understand. I mean, you told me that too, right from the start…" She felt his fingers gently grasp her chin as he urged her to look at him. When she did, the look in his eyes caused her breath to hitch.

"It's different with you Shorty. I've—shit, here goes my man card—but Bella, I've never felt this way before. You make me feel different, and I wanna try with you, if you're willing to take a chance on me… So I guess what I'm asking is if you'll be my girlfriend… ya know? Like a serious thing?"

She studied his eyes for a moment before leaning forward to kiss him softly. "Yeah Paul, I'll be your girlfriend." She smiled. "I guess I better call Charlie and make the arrangements," she murmured and he groaned as he rested his head against hers.

"Fuck… Charlie's gonna kill me."

She laughed and moved back to her seat. "No he won't," she said as she pulled back onto the road. "I won't let him." She smirked and Paul rolled his eyes.

"Trust me Bella, there will be hell to pay on my part. I'm sure he'll make sure of it, but at least he likes me… or he did. Not sure about that when he hears I'm dating his baby girl." He looked a little panicked now. "It's not like I'll be around all that much anyway. We'll be lucky if we see each other on weekends since I'll be in Seattle."

Bella nodded as she pulled into the parking lot at the ballpark. "Yeah, but it's better than nothing, which is what I was worried about."

She cut the engine, grabbed her bag and they both got out of the car.

"Have you decided on a college Shorty?" he asked as they linked hands and made their way into the stadium.

"Hmm," she said thoughtfully. "Udub is looking pretty good right about now." She glanced at him with a smirk and he grinned.

"I was hoping you'd say that."

They made their way over to where Renee was sitting and Phil walked up a minute later. "There you guys are. Was beginning to wonder if ya got lost!"

"No," Bella said as she sat by Renee. "We just stopped to talk for a bit, that's all."

"Cool." Phil looked at Paul. "You want a practice outfit? I think I got it covered if you do."

Paul nodded. "Yeah, it's more comfortable to pitch that way."

"That's what I figured. Come with me. I'll show you to the locker room."

They left and Renee studied Bella for a moment before speaking. "You like him," she said out of nowhere. "A lot. I can also tell you have something you want to talk about, so spill."

Bella's brows rose as she looked at her mother. "Wow, when did you become insightful?" she asked with a smile and Renee almost looked regretful as she answered.

"I know I haven't been the most responsible parent over the years and I know that I come off as a ditz most of the time, but I do pay attention. I also know you Bella; very well, and I see the way you look at him. I see the way he looks at you too. There's something special between you two."

Bella nodded as she realized, for the first time, that she didn't give Renee enough credit.

"You're right Renee, I do need to talk to you." She fidgeted for a moment and took a deep breath, which she exhaled slowly as she began. "I've been thinking a lot about our situation and I think it would be best for all if I go live with Charlie for my last year of school." She held up a hand to stop any comments. "Before you say anything, this isn't just because Paul is from Washington. I was thinking of doing this before I ever met him." She paused to let that sink in, glanced at Renee and continued. "I really want you and Phil to have your freedom and it would also be nice to get to know Charlie."

Renee stared at her for a bit and finally nodded. "Well, you're pretty much an adult Bella so it's time for you to make decisions about your life… time for me to let go… And Charlie… well he deserves to know you too and I never really gave him that chance."

She watched as Renee's eyes teared up. "I'll really miss you though." She leaned over and hugged her.

Bella smiled when her mother sat back. "At least now you'll be able to go on those road trips."

Smiling a watery smile, Renee wiped her eyes and nodded. "Yeah, Phil will be thrilled. He keeps trying to talk me into it."

Bella nodded as she leaned back to watch Paul warm up. "I know. You guys aren't all that quiet…" she smirked at a blushing Renee. "…ever."

"God Bella! Why didn't you say something?!"

She laughed with raised brows as she stared at her mother. "It's awkward mentioning it now Renee! I can't imagine bringing it up at the breakfast table over toast."

Renee nodded. "Point taken."

They stared out at the field where Paul was now pitching and Renee bumped her shoulder. "He's gorgeous baby."

Bella nodded. "I know."

"No, I mean, jesus… it should be a sin for a man to have such a body… I mean, don't get me wrong—Phil is built and handsome, but Paul… just look at that ass in those practice pants…" she murmured as she stared and Bella gasped and smacked her arm.

"Renee!" She laughed in disbelief and shook her head.

She turned to look at her outraged daughter. "What? Not like I'm gonna hit on him or anything, but I'm not blind! I can't comment on what I see?"

"No, you can't," Bella grumbled with a scowl. "You're my mother and he's… No—just—no."

"Fine," Renee said with a sigh. "I'll keep my thoughts to myself."

Phil joined them a short time later and he was shaking his head in disbelief as he did. "This kid… damn, he's good!" He met their eyes as he continued. "I'm talkin' major leagues good. I don't know how the scouts missed him, but he could'a got into any school he wanted to."

"Really?" Bella murmured and Phil nodded.

"The thing is, there are lots of kids his age that have one hell of an arm—meaning they throw hard—but he's got kick-ass control and that's rare for such a young pitcher. He puts the ball anywhere he needs it and is consistent about it."

Bella looked out on the field again and there was some older guy handing Paul a card and shaking his hand. Paul looked up and met Bella's gaze with a smile as he walked toward her.

When he reached them, he handed the glove he'd borrowed back to Phil. "Thanks man. That was fun."

"It was my pleasure kid. Not often I get to see pitching like that." He nodded toward the field. "I see our manager gave you his card."

Paul held it up. "Yeah, said to call him if I change my mind about college. Said he'd see me in a couple years in any case because he wants the first crack at recruiting me."

Phil nodded. "I'm not surprised. You've got the talent. I'm just shocked that you weren't offered a better school than Udub."

Paul looked down. "I was, but I need to be close to home for my mom." He shrugged and didn't say any more.

Renee broke the awkward silence by slapping her hands on her thighs. "Well, I think it's great of you to think of your mom." She looked at Phil. "You done for the day baby?"

"Yep," he nodded. I just need to change and we can get outta here." Paul followed him and Bella stood.

"I guess we'll see you guys later. I don't know where we're gonna go from here. We might just go back to the house and watch a movie or something."

"Phil and I will probably go grab dinner somewhere before we head home, so I'll see you later," she said as Paul joined Bella.

Bella nodded and turned to leave, but Renee stopped her. "Bella? You might want to call Charlie sooner rather than later, you know, just to give him time to make arrangements and get used to the idea."

"Yeah, that'd probably be best. I'll call him tonight."

She and Paul walked out to the car, both lost in thought as they got in and Bella started the car. "So," she said finally as she pulled out of the lot. "How did Charlie wind up dating your mom?"

She looked at him once she'd stopped at a red light and for once, his eyes were hard and blank; completely unreadable, and that shocked her. It was a look she'd never seen in his eyes before.

He finally spoke. "They met a few years back and became friends. They started dating about two years ago because Charlie was always coming around to drag me out fishing and shit." He looked away and fell silent for the rest of the drive to Bella's house. When she finally cut the engine, she touched his arm, taking note of how he tensed at the contact. "Hey, you okay? If it's a sore subject, I'm sorry I brought it up."

He took a deep breath and relaxed. "No, it's okay. I just don't like thinking about my past that's all." He looked at her with a sad smile. "It's not your fault."

She nodded. "All right. Well, you want to come inside for a while? Watch a movie or something?"

"Sure Shorty."

When they got inside, she tossed her bag on the table by the door and hung the keys as he looked around the entryway. "It's nice."

"Thanks," she said as she took his hand and led him to the kitchen. She let go when they got there. "Have a seat."

He sat at the table and she opened the fridge. "Drink?" she asked with a glance back.

"Sure, just a water."

She tossed him the bottle and kept rummaging in the fridge.

"What are you doing Shorty?"

She answered as she grabbed stuff from the fridge. "Making you dinner. We haven't eaten since lunch at your Aunt's house." She stood and faced him. "You must be hungry by now."

He smirked. "Yeah, I could eat. You need any help?"

She finished washing her hands and dried them on a towel. "Nope, just keep me company and I'll be good."

So he sat back and watched her as she moved from one task to another. It was as she was chopping greens for salad that he couldn't take it any more and he got up.

Bella jumped when she felt his arms circle her waist. "You scared me!" she said with a breathy laugh as she looked over her shoulder.

He moved her hair off her shoulder, exposing her neck and leaned down to place light kisses. Her eyes slowly closed as she tilted her head. "God, that feels amazing," she breathed as she stopped chopping. He pulled her closer against his body and she moaned. "Oh god…You do want to eat sometime tonight, right?"

"Umm hmm," he mumbled just under her ear where he sucked lightly.

"You're so dangerous," she whispered as she slowly turned in his arms to look at his now smirking face. She pointed at the chair he'd been in. "In the chair Lofty, and stay there or I'll throw you down and ravage you and never get dinner done."

He grinned. "Food's overrated. Man cannot live by bread alone and all that."

She pointed at the chair again. "Chair, then food, then a movie."

He sat and took a drink of his water. "Fine, but there's a couch involved with the movie portion of the night, right?" He grinned wolfishly and Bella rolled her eyes.

"Down boy. I'm a virgin," she said deadpan but couldn't help but smirk as he choked on his water.

"Fuck," he said, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand as he looked at her with dread. "Charlie _is_ going to kill me. I may never get laid again."

**Your thoughts? Please review!**

**Thanks you guys! **

**'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and any original characters therein. No copyright infringement intended.**

**A/N: Hi all! Still sick, but all your great comments and questions keep me going. Thanks for that, and if you asked a question and I missed it, feel free to contact me again and I'll do my best to get back to you. ~Spudz**

* * *

**~o0o~**

**Chapter 6**

**~ Jambi ~**

**So if I could I'd wish it all away.**  
**If I thought tomorrow would take you away.**  
**You're my peace of mind, my home, my center.**  
**I'm just trying to hold on,**  
**One more day.**

**~o0o~**

After dinner and clean up, they moved into the living room and Paul sat on the couch while Bella opened the movie cabinet. "What do you feel like watching," she asked as she perused the titles. When he didn't answer, she looked over her shoulder to see him staring at her with a wicked smirk. "Paul?"

"I'm watching it," he said as he met her eyes and she smirked back.

"You really are a bad boy aren't you?"

He grinned. "I have my moments."

She turned back to the cabinet with a smile and said, "Okay, be serious. Pick a movie." She stepped out of the way and he leaned forward to get a better look. "300," he said after a moment and she grabbed it and put it on.

He reached over and turned off the lamp as she sat next to him. "Getting cozy there Lofty?"

He smirked as he put his arm around her and pulled her close. "Makes it easier to see the screen Shorty; nothing nefarious about it." After a moment, he leaned down and brushed his lips over hers as he murmured, "Then again, I should really get all this outta my system before you're under Charlie's gu… uh, protection."

She laughed softly against his smiling lips. "Is that so?" she whispered.

He gently pushed her back to lay on the couch as he followed, a wicked glint in his eyes as he settled over her, his lips hovering over hers.

She sighed and opened to him eagerly as he continued his kisses, some light and gentle, others stealing her breath with passion as his tongue delved deeply and his luscious lips sucked at hers.

"God, I love the way you feel against me…" He groaned as he ground his hips against her center. "…the way you taste… your scent… everything…" he whispered between kisses he left in a teasing path down her neck.

She arched into him, wanting… needing… "Paul," she breathed. Before she was even aware what she was doing, she'd buried one hand in his hair, wrapped a leg around his waist, and moaned lowly as she sought to pull him impossibly closer.

As his kisses continued, she was only vaguely aware of the movement of his hand. It slowly slid up the outside of her leg, where he paused to gently squeeze her hip and then her waist… Slowly, so slowly, he traced up her ribcage where it finally settled in a gentle but firm caress of her breast. As his thumb brushed over her clothed nipple, it ignited a longing in her center she'd never felt before, and she arched into his touch with a gasp of pleasure.

Her mind reeled with these new and overwhelming feelings and she found herself a bit scared at how easy it would be to succumb to them. Her body definitely wanted to… This new ache in her center practically demanded to be sated… filled… and she knew instinctively he could fulfill this ache he'd ignited.

Still, she knew, on a more conscious level, she needed to regain control. She wasn't ready for this. _They_ weren't ready for this, and so she pushed against his chest. "Paul," she said lowly, "…we have to stop."

To her relief—and if she were being honest—disappointment, he did, and he drew back to look into her eyes. With gentle fingers, he traced the outline of her face as a small smile curved his lips. "You're right Shorty. I'm sorry for taking it so far."

She cupped his cheek. "Hey, I was in this too ya know. But I don't think we're ready. I think it would hurt what we have right now, rather than help it, ya know?"

He sat back and pulled her into his lap as his fingers ran through her hair. She laid her head against his shoulder as he spoke. "You're right Bella. I want more for us and you deserve better than a quickie on your mother's couch."

They sat quietly for a while after that, half-way watching the movie, but mostly just enjoying being together. Finally, Bella broke the comfortable silence and spoke. "So, tell me about your dreams. What do you see yourself doing in life?"

He smiled as their eyes met. "That's easy—baseball—pitching specifically. I wanna make it to the majors and I've worked my ass off to make that happen." He glanced down at her. "You know, Charlie has a lot to do with that."

"Yeah?" she questioned.

He nodded. "Yeah, my mom was great, but she was always busy getting her real estate license and then developing her career, so he sort of took me under his wing when I was fourteen. Never let me get down on myself. Never left me idle. If he had the time, he was always there, taking me fishing, or to the indoor batting and pitching cages."

She looked up. "I guess indoor would be a necessity in Forks."

"Yeah," he said with a chuckle. "All the damn rain kinda makes baseball a rare sport for kids around there. That's why I know if it hadn't been for Charlie, I wouldn't be as good as I am today." He stared off into the distance as he continued. "And I mean that in more ways than one."

"Well," she said with a sad sigh, "…at least my boyfriend has a good relationship with my dad."

He tightened his hold on her just a bit as he spoke. "He loves you very much Shorty. He was always talking about you and how proud he was of you." He looked down with a sad smile. "Honestly, there were times I used to get kinda jealous, wishing I had that."

She sat up to meet his eyes. "It sounds to me like you did have that from him Paul. If there's one thing I know about Charlie, it's that he doesn't know how to express himself, face to face with words. He chooses deeds instead. He must love you a lot to do the things he did."

She watched as tears filled Paul's eyes before he turned his head and cleared his throat. "Thanks for sayin' that Shorty, because… I—love Charlie way more than I ever loved my old man. He's the best man I've ever known and I'm glad that he'll have you for a while at least. I know it'll mean the world to him."

Now Bella's eyes filled with tears, and she laid her head back on his shoulder. "I'd say we're both lucky to have him, and I'm glad we found each other Paul."

"Me too Shorty," he murmured. "Me too."

~o0o~

Bella was once again standing in front of her open closet, trying to figure out what to wear. She had lots of nice things to choose from, mostly due to Renee's insistence. She really hated shopping, after all, but now she found herself thankful because she was getting ready to go on her first official date.

After the movie the night before, Paul had called Rudy to pick him up and then had formally asked her out on a date, a first for both of them.

He'd be here in an hour to pick her up, so she wanted to finish getting ready and then call Charlie. It had been too late to bother him last night after Paul had left.

Finally grabbing some linen shorts and a tank with a white, lacy over-shirt, she got dressed, ran a brush through her hair and sat at her desk.

She was nervous. What if he didn't want her there? Would he really, at this late date, want to deal with having her in his home and life? She just wasn't sure, and there was only one way to resolve it, so she picked up her phone and dialed.

"Chief Swan here," he answered and she felt like her heart was in her throat.

"Dad?" she said tentatively. "It's me—Bella. How are you?"

"Bells? Hey, it's great to hear from you kid. I'm doing fine, how are you? What have you been up to?"

"Just the usual really, but dad? I kinda called for a reason. Now, I don't want you to feel obligated—you can say no, and I'll totally understand…" She trailed off when he cut in.

"Whoa, slow down kid. Now, what can I do? It sounds like you need something…"

"Yeah dad… I want to come live with you for my last year of school."

There was silence on the line for a moment and she cringed at what he might be thinking. Finally, he spoke after clearing his throat.

"Sure Bells, I'd love to have you here. There's always been a place for you here kid."

She felt tears prick her eyes. "You sure dad? I won't cramp your style or anything?"

He chuckled. "My style? Uh, no kid. No style to cramp I'm afraid."

"That's great dad… Uh, I mean it's great you'll have me there, not the no style part."

"I know what ya meant kid," he said with amusement apparent in his voice. "So when can I expect you?"

She kind of froze at the question. When indeed? She'd have to see when Paul was leaving because she didn't want to miss any time with him.

"Uh, can I get back to you with a date dad? I mean, I know I need to be there before school starts, but I have some stuff to take care of here first."

"Sure Bells, that's fine. Just have your records sent to Forks High and I'll stop by there and take care of the rest."

"Thanks dad," she murmured as her heart ached. Why hadn't she considered this move sooner? So much wasted time…

"No problem. Was there something else you wanted to talk about?"

She thought of Paul briefly, but shook her head. "No dad, that was it."

"Okay then kid. Just call me with the date and flight info. I'll be there to pick you up."

"All right dad, thanks. I'll talk to you later."

"Sure Bells, bye."

"Bye." She pressed end and stared at her phone for a moment. That had been much easier than she'd thought it would, and she had to admit to feeling regret over how she'd disregarded him the past few years especially with all that Paul had told her.

Giving herself a mental shake, she tossed her phone in her bag, zipped it and headed down stairs to wait for Paul.

When she got down there, her mother was in the living room with Phil and they were watching a movie. She walked in and sat in the chair next to them.

"Hi baby," Renee said. "Wow, you look great. Going somewhere?"

"Yeah, Paul's picking me up for a date in a few."

Renee grinned. "Oooh, tell me about it. Where's he taking you?"

Bella shrugged a shoulder. "I don't know. He didn't say. He just said we'd be there most of the day and to dress comfortably, so I'm guessing it's nothing fancy, thank god."

Just then, the door bell rang and she grabbed her bag and walked out as she called a goodbye over her shoulder.

When she opened the door, she smiled at the sight of Paul, standing there with his signature smirk and a red rose in hand which he presented to her. "For my lovely date."

She stepped out and closed the door as she looked into his eyes. "Does it come with a kiss, because if not, I don't want it."

He reached out and drew her close. "Of course. Never let it be said I disappointed my girl."

With that, he leaned down and kissed her softly. When he drew away, she opened her eyes and said, "You're so good at that."

"You're not so bad yourself," he said with a grin. "But come on. We better leave now before that wall behind you sees some serious action."

He took her hand and walked her to the car where he opened the door for her. "Wow, full service and everything," she said as she got in.

He walked around and slid into the drivers seat. "Hey, I said I didn't date, not that I didn't know how to."

He started the car and pulled out into the street. "Nice car." she said. "It's Rudy's, right?"

He nodded as he propped an arm by the window. "Yeah, he can afford it because he still lives at home."

"Well, lots of people his age still live at home," she said with a shrug.

"I don't know," he said as he glanced at her. "I could see it if he was going to school or something, but he's got a full time job." He shrugged. "All I know is that I don't wanna be living on the rez when I'm his age. I can't wait to get outta there, ya know? Do more with my life than staying there would allow."

She nodded. "I can't say I disagree. I mean, I've been looking forward to independence for a while now. It'll be nice to finally be doing something for me; for my life."

"Exactly!" he said as he pulled in to a crowded parking lot. "There are so many people in our tribe who never leave the rez. They're born there, live their lives there and they die there and, to me, the prospect of that is depressing. I've often wondered why they do it, but I've never asked any of them. Most of the old-timers are cryptic bastards anyway, so I'm sure I wouldn't get a straight answer even if I did ask."

Bella chuckled as he cut the engine. "Sounds like that old lady that gave me this," and she held up her wrist.

"Yeah," he said as he undid the seat belt and opened the door. "Imagine dealing with several like her for most of your life."

He came around and opened her door and she got out and looked around as he locked the car. "An amusement park?" she asked with a grin.

"Yeah," he answered as he took her hand and they began walking. "Please tell me you like roller coasters."

She looked up at him with a grimace and he cocked a brow. "Well, to be honest, they scare the shit outta me…" She trailed off when he dropped his head and she rushed on. "But—I have you to hang on to, so it's all good."

He eyed her skeptically as they walked. "You're gonna hate this date aren't ya Shorty?"

She stopped and he turned to face her as she scowled up at him. "No. I'm with you and it'll be great. Now don't go getting emo on me 'cause then I'll have to find a way to kick your ass."

He stared at her for a beat before he cracked up laughing. "Fuck," he said as he tugged her along. "I think I'd like to see that Shorty."

"No you wouldn't," she said with conviction. "I can be very mean when I set my mind to it."

He slung an arm around her shoulders. "I don't doubt it." He grinned down at her. "I'd still like to witness it."

He already had the tickets, so they went straight to the gate and made their way inside. He pointed at the biggest coaster Bella'd ever seen. "How about that one first?

Bella stared. The thing had no less than three loops, plus a wicked looking cork-screw portion, and she swallowed thickly as she looked up at him. "Okay," she said weakly and they got in line.

When they got off the ride, she was smiling widely. "Holy shit that was fun!" she said as she hung onto his arm.

He smirked. "Somehow, I knew there was a thrill seeker hiding inside you. I could see it in your eyes Shorty. You like danger." He glanced down at her as they got in the next line. "I think that's why I caught your eye."

He pulled her into his arms as he leaned against the hand-rail and she tilted her head to look at him, a thoughtful expression on her face. "You know, I think you're right! I remember thinking that you were beautiful, in a bad boy sort of way the first time I saw you."

He nodded and kissed her quickly. "Yeah? I remember thinking that you were a sweet, good girl with a taste for the dark side," he drawled out in a deep voice.

She laughed and poked his ribs. "I guess we were both right."

"Yeah Shorty," he said as he caressed her cheek. "Looks like we were." They stared at each other and he murmured, "We were made for each other." Then he kissed her, slowly and softly which he only broke when the people behind them cleared their throat.

Bella blushed and they moved up. "So, what do you want for dinner? Most of the stuff here is junk, but I think I saw a couple of decent sit-down places. You wanna do that?" he asked as he looked at the map.

She shrugged as she leaned with her back against him. "Whatever you want. It doesn't have to be expensive."

"Hmm," he said. "There's an Italian place… that good with you?"

She turned and wrapped her arms around him. "Yeah, sounds good."

He folded the map and stuffed it in his pocket before wrapping her in his arms.

"I talked to Charlie," she said and felt him tense.

"And?" he questioned.

"It was easier than I expected. He's just waiting on a date and flight information." She looked up at him. "I wanted to see when you plan on leaving before setting a date for myself."

He moved her hair off her shoulder and kissed just under her ear. "Well," he said as he straightened back up. "I was planning on leaving mid-August so I'd have enough time to get my shit together for college. I can move into the dorm during the last week of August."

"Okay, so I'll arrange to fly out then too." She glanced up at him. "If that's all right with you… I mean, I don't want you to feel like I'm chasing you…"

She trailed off when his fingers covered her lips. "Quit with the insecure crap. I love that you'll be going with me. I wouldn't have it any other way."

They rode the next coaster and by the time they got off, they were both ready for dinner.

On their way to the restaurant, he held her hand and smiled down at her as she gushed about the ride. "I think that one is my favorite so far! We have to hit that one again before we leave."

"Yeah, okay," he laughed. "God, I've created a monster! I'm gonna be begging for mercy before we leave here tonight."

She grinned. "Wouldn't it be great to take a road trip of amusement parks?" She turned and walked backwards to see him. "We should plan one for this summer! What do you think? I have some cash saved, and it would be perfect! Just you and me on the road?"

He grinned and grabbed her before she backed over a bench. "Yeah, that sounds great Shorty, but don't kill yourself falling over a bench first."

"Yeah," she said as she took his arm. "That wouldn't be good." She looked at him. "So, we'll do it? You'll go with me?"

He cocked a brow. "You think you'll still want me around by then?"

"Yeah," she smiled up at him. "I will."

~o0o~

Somehow, they managed to luck out and get a table in a quiet corner of the restaurant. They both enjoyed the food, but the best part, to Bella, was just being together.

They talked quietly through the meal, sharing their hopes and dreams which, unknown to both of them, were expanding in their minds to include the other.

One thing Bella had noticed is that Paul had only mentioned his dad once and that was when he'd said he loved Charlie more. It made her curious and, as they shared a dessert, she finally found the courage to ask about it. "Paul?"

He looked at her as he took a drink of water. "Yeah?"

"Why don't you ever talk about your dad?"

Bella watched as he shut down so fast it was almost breathtaking to behold. His eyes turned cold and hard. His face went blank and the hand that'd been resting next to his water glass trembled noticeably before he clenched it into a fist. He looked away and she could see the muscles in his jaw twitch.

"Paul? You okay? I'm sorry! I'm sorry for bringing it up, I was just—curious," she finished weakly not quite sure how to fix the situation.

He stood abruptly, his chair making a scraping noise on the polished floor. "I'll be right back," he said stiffly before stalking off and Bella stared down at her lap, wondering how it had gone so wrong so quickly. It was as though a switch had been flipped, and it worried her.

When he got back a few minutes later, he didn't look much better and he tossed down cash to cover the check. "Come on," he said tightly. "I need to get you home."

She stood and followed him out of the restaurant and once he'd cleared the doors, she could barely keep up with him. Finally, she found her voice. "Paul, come on, talk to me. You don't have to talk about your dad, I swear not to ask again, but tell me what's going on now. Are you mad at me?"

He stopped and hung his head and she could swear his whole body was shaking. "No Bella," he said, his voice sounding a bit raspy. "I'm not mad at you. I just don't talk about that, and now I don't feel well." He turned his head to look at her finally. "I just really need to get you home so I can get some sleep. I think I might be getting sick or something."

She stepped forward and touched his face and gasped. "God, you're burning up! I'll drive you to your Aunt's house and Rudy can drive me home from there." She rubbed his cheek and his eyes closed.

"God, I feel better when you touch me. It doesn't hurt so bad when you touch me."

She took his hand and tugged. "Come on, there's no way I'm letting you drive if you're that sick, but let's get you home."

He smiled wanly. "Yeah, all right." He pulled her in for a hug and whispered against her hair, "I'm sorry for flipping my shit in there Shorty. It's just… it was bad B—real bad."

"Shh, it's all right," she said as she stroked the back of his neck. "You can tell me about it when you're ready and if that's never, then I accept it. You mean too much to me to lose you over something from your past."

He nodded against her shoulder and she backed away. "Let's go."

When she got him to his Aunt's house, he was shaking and moaning and she was scared for him. She parked, set the brake and ran to the front door where she knocked loudly until Rudy opened the door. One look at her anxious face had his eyes widening. "What happened Bella?"

"It's Paul, Rudy. He's really sick! Come help me with him!"

"Oh shit," he said as he ran out the door. "Bella, go in and get my mom."

She ran inside and found Paul's Aunt in the kitchen. "Hi Bella…"

"Paul's really sick and it seems like he's in pain! Should I just take him to the hospital?"

She watched as the woman's face went blank. "No Bella, I know what to do. Is Rudy helping him inside?"

Bella looked confused. "No hospital? But you didn't see him! He's burning up and it started suddenly! He was fine…"

The woman walked past her. "No hospitals Bella. He'll be fine. I know what to do."

When they walked out of the kitchen, Rudy was just helping Paul through the front door and his mother spoke to him. "Put Paul in bed and then take Bella home Rudy. I'll take care of your cousin."

Bella followed them down the hall to Paul's room and watched as Rudy sat his shaking form on the bed. "I got it from here man," Paul said as he laid back. "Thanks."

He locked his gaze with Bella's worried one as Rudy backed away. "Come 'ere Shorty," he said as he held out a shaking hand to her.

She took it and sat on the edge of the bed. "Don't worry Shorty. I'll be okay. Just go home with Rudy and I'll call you tomorrow, okay?"

She leaned down and kissed his hand and it was only then she realized she was crying. She looked up at him and said, "Get better, okay? I hate seeing you like this."

He wiped the tears from her cheeks. "Don't cry Bella. I'll be fine." His eyes closed. "Jus' need sleep."

Rudy gently took her arm and led her from the room and she noticed Paul's Aunt speaking on the phone, her tone urgent, though she couldn't make out the words.

When they were in the car, Rudy glanced at her as she tried to dry her tears. "Hey, it's gonna be fine."

Bella brows drew down as she looked at him. "That seemed serious Rudy, and yet your mom refused to have him go to a hospital? It just doesn't seem right."

He sighed. "Look Bella, all I can tell you is that we were told this may happen. We were told what to watch for, so we could contact his mom the minute it did. That's all they told us. Well that, and that it was nothing life threatening, okay? Everything will be fine."

Bella looked down and nodded, but couldn't stifle the feeling that things wouldn't be okay. Something deep inside was telling her that this was profound and nothing would be the same again.

And she was afraid.

**Your thoughts? Please review! **

**Thanks all!**

**'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and any original characters therein. No copyright infringement intended.

A/N: My thanks to all of you wonderful readers out there. You guys are awesome! I hope you find this chapter enjoyable and keep in mind, I don't drag out angst. I hate that. lol Love to you all and thanks for all of the 'get well' wishes. They're working! I'm feeling better! ~Spudz

* * *

**~o0o~**

**Chapter 7**

**~ Jambi ~**

**Prayed like a martyr dusk to dawn.**  
**Begged like a hooker all night long.**  
**Tempted the devil with my song.**  
**And got what I wanted all along.**

**~o0o~**

Bella sat on her bed staring at the pages of the book in her hand; the book she'd been trying to read for the past hour without success.

She was worried. It had been a week since her date with Paul. A week since he'd gotten sick so suddenly and his Aunt had refused to let her see him. She hadn't even been able to talk to him on the phone the two times she'd called. She'd talked to Rudy though and he'd assured her Paul was getting better by the day and that reassurance was the only thing that kept her from going over there and demanding to see him.

Still, she couldn't help but wonder why, if he was getting better, he hadn't at least called.

She sighed and tossed her book on her nightstand. She had to do something to distract herself, otherwise her thoughts were going to drive her insane.

Rising from her bed, she slipped on some shoes, grabbed her bag and left her room. Just as she descended the stairs, the doorbell rang and her heart lurched as she hurried down the rest of the stairs.

"Sure Paul," she heard Renee say just as she stepped off the bottom stair. "Let me get her for you."

Bella raced around the corner and into the entry way to see the one she'd been so worried about, so scared for, standing there and tears filled her eyes as she launched herself at him.

"Whoa Shorty!" he said as his arms wrapped her in a tight embrace. He buried his face in her fragrant hair as she cried silently against his chest. "I missed you too, B, so much," he murmured.

"Don't you ever do that to me again." She sobbed.

His heart squeezed when he heard the pain in her voice, and he rocked her side to side. "I'm sorry Shorty, but I was sick."

She finally backed away to look at him and she cupped his face as she studied him for a moment. "You're still hot."

He grinned. "I know," he said with his usual arrogance and she rolled her eyes as she sniffled.

"You know what I mean."

He nodded. "Yeah. I gotta admit I still feel bad and achy, but not as bad as I did. It comes in waves, ya know? But right now, it's tolerable and I had to see you, so Rudy loaned me his car and I snuck out." He ran a hand through his hair as Bella grabbed his hand and led him toward the stairs. "My Aunt's been like some kind of jailer and I'm sick of it, but up until today I felt too shitty to do anything about it."

They climbed the stairs and went into her room. She tossed her bag on the desk and closed the door. "Were you going somewhere?" he asked, gesturing to her bag and she nodded.

"Yeah, I was going to see you even if I had to climb through the damn window to do it. I was getting tired of waiting and wondering." She stepped between his knees as he sat on the side of her bed and he draped his arms around her waist.

She caressed his face and ran her fingers through his hair. "You still feel feverish though. Have you been to see a doctor?"

He rolled his eyes. "Nah, don't need one. I'll be fine."

She frowned at that and he cupped her face. "Hey, don't worry okay? Let's just enjoy being in the moment, all right?" He leaned his head against her chest and closed his eyes. "I feel better just being with you; touching you. God, I can't believe how much I missed you…" He drew back and met her eyes. "How did this happen Shorty? I need you… I—I feel like I love you," he murmured looking lost and unsure. "But it's too soon for that, right?"

She drew him close to her breast and tucked her face against his neck as she answered. "I don't know if it is Paul," she whispered. "But I feel the same way."

His arms tightened around her and they just held each other for a while.

After a few minutes, he kicked off his shoes and scooted back on her bed as he pulled her into his lap. "What are we gonna do if you get bad again Paul?" she questioned. "I don't want to be separated from you again. I almost went crazy over this past week."

"We'll figure something out B. I'm not gonna let anyone keep us apart, I promise you, no matter how shitty I feel. I'm an adult and you will be soon, so they can just kiss our asses."

She laughed lightly and he looked at her with a smirk. "I'm serious Shorty. Legally, they might be able to keep us apart until September, and that would be hell, but we could survive it. After that, anyone who tries can fuck right off."

"Right," she said with a wide smile as she stared into his eyes. "They can fuck right off."

A knock on the door broke the peace of the moment and Bella called out, "Yeah?"

"Bella, Phil and I have to go to a barbecue one of his team mates is throwing. I'd ask if you want to come but…"

"You're right mom, I'm gonna stay here with Paul. Have fun though!"

"Okay baby, just… you know, be safe you two!"

Paul snickered and Bella rolled her eyes. "Got it Renee! Thanks!"

They listened as the sound of Renee's steps faded before they both laughed. "Wonder what she meant?" Paul asked with a smirk.

Bella smacked his arm and leaned against him. "Gee, I don't know." She turned and straddled him with a smirk of her own. "One thing I do know." She leaned forward and kissed him.

When she drew back, he asked, "What's that?" And the sparkle of mischief in her eyes had him wondering.

"Well," she said as she ran her hands over his chest. "We can't be safe if there's nothing to be safe about, right?" She met his eyes and he smiled.

"Are you saying what I think you're saying B?" he asked as he tucked some hair behind her ear.

"Yeah," she whispered as she leaned forward and kissed him. She opened to him and his tongue dipped into her mouth to taste and play as he gripped her hips and pulled her close.

She played with his hair and moaned into the kiss when his hardness brushed her center. After a moment, he eased and broke the kiss and sat back as their eyes met. "Are you really sure Bella? Because your first time…" He groaned and ran a hand through his hair. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but maybe you should wait until… you know, you're _really_ sure—I mean, no doubts at all, ya know?" He cupped her face. "Because baby, I don't want it to be something you ever regret. Not ever. You mean too much to me Bella."

Her eyes pricked with tears as she studied his earnest expression. "Paul, you've come to mean everything to me. And yeah, it seems soon, but it feels right—in my heart, in my soul—it feels right with you. I want you to be my first, and I pray with all that I am, you will be my only."

She watched as what she said sank in and her heart swelled as a tear traced down his cheek before he pulled her close against him. "I won't make you regret it Bella. I'll try to be the man you see in me, I swear."

Bella slid from his lap and stood. She reached for his hand and urged him to stand with her where they took their time undressing between kisses and tender touches.

When they were bare, Paul lifted her in his arms and she yelped with a laugh as he laid her in the center of her bed.

She ran her hands over his shoulders and chest and met his eyes. "Damn, you're beautiful," she said as her eyes traced the muscled contours of his body.

He smirked. "You know, you're always using girly terms to describe me—sweet, beautiful—should I be insulted?" Her eyes widened and he covered her body fully with his as he growled out, "Or should I just prove to you that I'm as far from girly as one can get?" He circled her nipple with his tongue and sucked it in deeply and she moaned and arched against him.

"Oh god yes," she said as she buried her hands in his hair. "I think I like this 'proving it' business. She looked down to see him smirking against the wet skin of her breast as he looked up at her through inky lashes and she wrapped a leg over his hip. "Please continue," she said breathily.

Leaning forward, he sucked gently at her bottom lip before deepening the kiss. His hips settled fully in to the cradle of her thighs where he ground himself against her as she wrapped herself around him with a low moan.

When the kiss broke for breath, he trailed his lips down to her neck where he sucked and nibbled. "God, your scent… it's driving me crazy," he murmured against her moist skin. "I have to taste you."

With that, he trailed kisses down to her chest where he sucked on her nipple, swirling his tongue over and around it before moving down further still to circle and swirl his hot tongue into her belly button.

When he moved down further still, she tensed and closed her legs. "Paul?" She stared down at him with wide eyes.

He looked up at her as his hands gently urged her thighs apart. "It'll be so good B," he said lowly. "I promise you'll like it and I need…" His nostrils flared as he breathed in and she swore she saw hints of an amber glow in his eyes. "…I need this Bella. Just trust me, okay?"

She nodded and relaxed her legs. "I trust you."

He began kissing just inside her knee then, slowly making his way down to her center. When he got there, he nudged at her glistening curls with his nose as he breathed deeply and she could have sworn he… growled. Before she could think too much on that, her eyes closed and she arched as she felt his velvet, hot tongue lick slowly up through her folds where he paused to circle and suck at her clit.

Heaven, oh god, she was sure this was a little piece of heaven and she buried her hands in his hair as her legs dropped fully open.

"Sweet… so sweet," he whispered before sucking in her little bud again as he slid two long fingers into her tight heat.

She gasped at the feeling as her hips tilted into his talented mouth. "Oh god, Paullll," she groaned as he curled those fingers to stroke inside her. "Please…" she begged as she felt heat and tension and some other unnamed sensation build within as he relentlessly sucked and stroked her. "Please… I need… I need…"

He growled again and nipped gently at her clit as he curled his fingers and massaged that special spot deep inside her. "Come for me Bella," he demanded as he flattened his tongue against her bud and she arched and screamed as she spiraled out into bliss.

He smiled and continued to stroke inside her fluttering walls, milking her orgasm through wave after wave until she collapsed bonelessly onto her pillows, her chest heaving as she tried to slow her heart.

As she lay there, he prowled up her body where she pulled him into a kiss, moaning as she tasted herself mingled with the unique taste of Paul.

He drew away from her amidst protests and she watched as he reached for his pants. "What…" she began to question but trailed off as he held up a condom. "Be safe, remember?" he said with a smirk as he opened it and rolled it on.

She blushed as she watched and he leaned forward and kissed her. "Are you sure about this Bella?" he asked as he settled over her.

"Yes," she said as she stared into his eyes and wrapped her legs around him.

Reaching up, she circled her arms around his neck and pulled him down into a kiss as he positioned himself at her entrance. He pushed in slowly, and when he was a little way in, he surged forward, seating himself fully.

"Shh," he whispered as he kissed away her tears. "Hard parts over."

She nodded and turned her head to kiss him, seeking comfort from the softness and heat of his lips against hers as her fingers tangled into the hair on the nape of his neck. "It's okay now," she whispered against his lips. "I'm okay…" and she gasped as he began slowly thrusting.

He kissed her neck and looked into her eyes as his thrusts strengthened. "Still okay?"

She panted against his lips as she nodded. "Yeah… oh god… more than okay," she said as she arched up to meet him. "You feel… Oh… so good."

He held her close and changed the angle of his thrusts and she cried out when he stroked against that spot inside her. "God Bella… so tight… you feel so fucking good…" he panted out against the skin of her neck.

"More Paul…" she pleaded. "Need more…" and he growled in response as he pulled out and gently turned her over.

"Get up on your knees Bella." He grabbed her hands and placed them at the top of the headboard as he kissed her bared neck. "Don't let go," he commanded in a voice that raised goosebumps over her body.

She looked back over her shoulder just as he gripped her hips and entered her and she cried out as each stroke he gave her now jolted her body. "Oh god!" she yelled as she threw her head back and began pushing back into him. This was beyond anything she'd ever imagined and she could feel that now familiar tightening building at her core as he panted and his lip curled up in a silent snarl with his efforts.

She moaned and looked back at him and couldn't help but think this was the most beautiful he'd ever been to her.

A light sheen of sweat highlighted his lithe muscles as his raven black hair fell into his eyes; eyes that now unmistakably glowed with an amber light.

His pillow-soft lips parted as his breath came in fevered pants and his top lip drew up in a silent snarl; he looked beautiful, wild, feral, and she lost herself to him as she shattered with a toss of her head and a scream of his name.

He growled as she tightened around him and he thrust through the pulsing waves of her orgasm, their sounds of exertion and euphoria mingling as he chased his own completion.

Her knuckles were white with her grip on the bed as he continued to stroke into her, his thrusts firm and erratic as he finally gave himself over and came with a shout. He fell forward, his hands gripping the bed on either side of her as his hot breath tickled the hair around her ear.

"Bella?" he questioned, his voice low with concern. "I didn't hurt you did I?"

She lifted her head to look at him as a smile curved her lips and she kissed him. "No," she said as she drew away to see him. "You didn't hurt me."

"Good," he murmured with a kiss to her neck as he withdrew from her. "Be right back," he said as he got up and went into the bathroom. When he came back, he slipped his boxers on, laid down with her and pulled her close.

She turned on her side and trailed her fingers over his bare chest. "You know," she said quietly. "I'd always heard not to expect much out of my first time; well with the exception of pain, that is. But what we just did…" She met his eyes with a smile. "That was pretty amazing."

He smiled and kissed her forehead as his fingers caressed her cheek. "I can honestly say I've never experienced anything like what we just shared Bella. Never. I can't explain it, but it was special."

She grinned. "Yeah?"

He kissed her. "Yeah."

She curled her leg over his and snuggled into his side and they simply laid there together for a while. It was so comfortable, they were both almost asleep when the doorbell rang, startling them both.

His brow pinched as he looked at her. "You expecting someone?"

She shook her head as she rose from the bed and began dressing hurriedly. "No. It's probably one of my mom's friends though. I'll be right back."

When she left the room, Paul got up and got dressed. As he sat back down, Bella peeked her head in. "Paul, there are some people here for you. They're waiting in the living room."

"For me," he asked, looking surprised. "Did they say who they are?"

She stepped in and closed the door. "There's a lady named Sue Clearwater and some other really big guy, I didn't catch his name. She says she's a P.A. and she's here to make sure you're okay."

"Shit," he mumbled as he ran a hand through his hair. He stood and grumbled all the way down stairs; "This is bullshit. Why would my mother send someone all the way from the rez to see me? It's ridiculous…"

When he walked into the living room, Bella noticed how he eyed the big guy warily before turning his attention to the lady. "Sue, what's going on?"

She smiled. "Well, your mother was worried about you so she asked me to come and check you over; make sure it's nothing serious." She gestured to the couch. "Why don't you have a seat and I'll get started," she said as she opened her bag.

He scowled. "This isn't necessary. I'll be fine," he grumbled and she shot him a look.

"Come on Paul, humor me and in turn your mother. If you're truly fine, no harm no foul and if you're not, then we treat you and you get better." She pointed toward the couch and he sat.

"Fine, get it over with. I can't believe you showed up here though. I mean what the hell?"

She shushed him as she listened to his heart and lungs. After all the usual checks involved in a very basic exam, she took out a small bottle and a syringe from her bag.

"What the hell is that?" he questioned.

She smiled as she drew a dose into the syringe. "It's just a nutrient shot. Nothing to be concerned over."

She pushed up his sleeve and wiped the muscle with an alcohol wipe before injecting him.

He pulled down his sleeve and looked at her as she repacked her bag. "So, that's it then?" he asked and Sue nodded but Bella became alarmed as he swayed where he sat.

"What's wrong with him?!" she demanded as he slowly sagged onto the couch.

Sue looked at her as the big guy came forward and scooped up an unconscious Paul like he weighed nothing. "He's fine dear. We're just going to take him home now so he can recover fully. You don't have to worry. What he has isn't contagious. Thank you for allowing us into your home."

"Wait!" Bella yelled. "When will I be able to see him again? When can I talk to him?"

Sue turned to her as the big guy continued on out to a van where he placed Paul across a seat in the back. "Give him a couple of days at least, then you can call him, all right? He'll be fine though. Don't worry. We'll take good care of him."

She walked away and got into the van where the big guy was already behind the wheel, waiting.

Bella watched as they drove off, feeling shocked and lost. _'What the hell just happened?'_ she thought as she turned back to her house. She needed answers.

Rushing upstairs, she grabbed her phone from her bag and dialed Rudy.

"Yo, this is Rudy."

"Rudy! This is Bella. Look, some lady named Sue from La Push just showed up, gave Paul a quick medical exam, shot him with something that knocked him out and took him away! What the fuck is going on Rudy?!"

"Whoa, whoa, what?!"

"Oh god, you mean you don't know?"

She heard him sigh. "Hang on B, let me talk to my mom."

She heard muffled speaking in the background and he came back on a minute later. "Apparently, my mother knows all about it B. His mom called Sue and asked her to come here and check him out. Now, why they knocked him out and took him, I don't know and I was told in no uncertain terms that it was none of my business. I'm sorry."

Bella's heart was racing. "Jesus Rudy—well, where are they taking him? Your house?"

"I don't know that either B. Mom's being pretty closed mouthed on this."

"Oh my god… this is like a fucking nightmare," she murmured.

"I'm sorry B," he said. "I wish I could tell you more, but just know that they aren't out to hurt him, okay. I do know that much."

Bella sighed as she sagged onto the couch. "What about your car? It's still in my driveway."

"Shit, yeah, I'm gonna need to get that. I'll get a ride over and pick it up."

"Bring an extra key," she mumbled absently. "I'm pretty sure the one Paul had was still in his pocket."

"Okay Bella. I'll see you in a bit. And hey, don't freak…"

"Yeah," she grumbled. "I've heard it a million times now Rudy… he'll be fine."

"Yeah," he said sounding apologetic. "Later B."

She ended the call and stared into nothing as her mind raced. _'What now, Bella?'_ she thought.

What now, indeed.

**Your thoughts? 'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and any original characters therein. No copyright infringement intended.

A/N: Hi all! Again, huge thanks to everyone who commented and questioned. Without your support, it wouldn't be half the fun. You all keep me going, so keep the comments coming! I hope this chapter is pleasing. Y'all let me know, yeah? ~Spudz

Pack Mind will be in _**bold italics**_

* * *

~o0o~

**Chapter 8**

**~o0o~**

**~ Jambi ~**

**Shine on forever.**  
**Shine on benevolent sun.**

**Shine on upon the severed.**  
**Shine until the two become one.**

**Divided I'm withering away.**

**Divided I'm withering away.**

**Shine on upon the many, light our way**  
**Benevolent sun.**

**~o0o~**

Bella laid on her side, staring at the image of Paul's smiling face on her phone when the thing vibrated with a call, causing her to drop it as she startled. "Shit," she muttered as she picked it up and answered. "Hello?"

"Bella? It's Rudy."

"Rudy! Thank god! Have you heard anything? Where is he?!"

"Slow down B and I'll tell ya what I know, okay?"

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly with a nod. "Yeah, sorry."

"S'okay B, I understand. It's a freaky situation." She scoffed and he continued. "Yeah, so anyway, I managed to find out… they're driving him back to Washington."

She shot up into a sitting position. "Already? Jesus, couldn't they just wait until he flew back? Why Rudy? Did you find out why? Why they had to knock him out and abduct him for fucks sake?"

"B! Damn, never knew you could cuss so much girl! And no, I didn't find out why they took him the way they did." She heard him sigh. "Fuck, this is all so weird. I'd be shit-scared if this wasn't my mom and my Aunt we're talking about here. I mean, I can't see them doing anything to hurt him B."

"Yeah Rudy? Really? Could you see them doing what they've done so far?"

He groaned over the line. "Fuck… ya got me with that one B."

She ran a hand through her hair and tugged. "Okay, look, it's been almost two days since they took him. How long do you think before they make it to the rez if that's where they're taking him? I googled it, and it gave me an estimate of 25 hours."

"There's your answer B. Maybe more if they stop a lot, maybe less if they haul ass, but yeah, roughly two days if they stopped at night."

Her voice dropped in worry. "Rudy? He's a good fighter, right?"

She heard him scoff. "I've seen him fight plenty B and he's never lost, even against bigger guys. He's freaky fast and just that fucking good. Why?"

"Because I'm afraid they've kept him drugged this whole time, otherwise he would have fought. Or… god Rudy, you didn't see that guy that was with that Sue lady, but he was massive… What if he fought and they hurt him?!" She started to panic and Rudy must have heard it in her voice.

"Bella! Stop! You can't do this… you can't freak… it won't help, now let's just figure out what the hell we're gonna do now, all right?"

She slowed her breathing. "Thanks Rudy, you're right. Gotta keep a clear head and deal with what we know."

"Exactly, so now what B? What do you want to do?"

She looked around her room as she thought. "Well, I had already booked a flight for mid August so I could leave when he did… maybe I could see if I can change the date and leave early?"

"Okay, good. You check on that and call me back when you know. If you need a ride to the airport, I'm your man."

She smiled despite the situation. "Thanks Rudy. I'll talk to you in a bit."

She ended the call and sat at her desk to look up her flight information. When she had it pulled up, she looked up what she could do about changing it and sighed. It was one of those cheap fares with all the restrictions including being non-refundable. She hung her head and called Rudy.

"Yo."

"I'm screwed. It's non-refundable and non-anything else."

"Damn," he muttered. "You can't tell 'em somebody died and it's an emergency?"

"Sure, I could, but get this… you have to fucking prove it now, plus that's a creepy lie to tell and I'd be worried karma would bite me on the ass for it."

He laughed. "Seriously B?"

She rolled her eyes. "Kiss my lily white ass D. So I'm kinda superstitious, lots of people are."

"I'd take you up on that offer B, but frankly, Paul scares the fuck outta me, so…yeah. Don't tell him I told ya that though."

"Yeah," she sighed. "Your secret's safe with me… unless, ya know, I have use for it in the future." She smirked as she doodled on a paper on her desk.

"What's this? Sweet little B has a mean streak?"

"Damn straight, and the people who took Paul are gonna get a taste of it D. I'm scared for him and that pisses me off."

"Okay," she heard him blow out a deep breath. "Time to get serious. So, you gonna just wait until mid August and take that flight?"

She groaned and tugged at her hair. "Ya know, that's only two weeks away, and while that doesn't seem unreasonable in any normal situation… they fucking drugged him and took him without his consent D, and that screams 'weird and unusual' to me. Everything in me is telling me to get to him as soon as I can."

"So, what do you want to do B? I'll help you any way I can."

She turned back to her lap-top and began typing. "I'm gonna bite the bullet and get a flight out today. Renee's gone somewhere with Phil, but I'll take a cab if I have to."

"No Bella, I'll take you. I'll be there in twenty. Soon enough?"

She finished up booking the flight. "Yeah, that'd be great D. I'll pack and be ready to go when you get here. Thanks Rudy."

"Hey, it's the least I can do for my cousin's girl."

He ended the call and Bella got up and grabbed her carry-on sized case which she began to stuff with all the Forks-appropriate clothes she owned.

~o0o~

Muted light and foreign scents penetrated his fogged consciousness as he fought his way out of his drugged state. _'What the fuck happened to me?'_ he thought as his senses sharpened with every second that passed. His head felt like it weighed a hundred pounds and as he assessed everything else, he realized his whole body felt heavy and sluggish. He groaned and tried to move and it was then he heard footsteps and a door opening. "He's waking Sam," said an unfamiliar female voice and he struggled to open his eyes.

More steps approached and he heard a man's voice. "Emily, I want you and Kim to leave. Jared and I will handle this, but I don't want you two anywhere near when we do."

The woman's voice was sad when she answered. "I still don't understand why you had to do things this way. You should've explained things to him; given him a chance to come willingly…"

Sounds of a kiss met his ears as he struggled further from the fog.

"He had a girl he was involved with Em. His Aunt said they were getting serious. He never would have left willingly, knowing that he'd never get to see her again. It had to be done. Now go. His heart and breathing are almost at normal. He'll be fully awake soon."

As this Sam person's words registered in his mind, his heart rate spiked as one name came to the fore: _'Bella!'_

_'Shit!'_ he thought. _'I was with Bella! We'd just…'_ Memories of their first time together flooded his mind and he shot up into a sitting position, immediately grabbing his head as it pounded with the sudden change. Nausea rolled through his empty stomach and he swallowed heavily as he fought his way through it.

"Bella," he rasped, his throat hoarse from lack of use.

His memories continued and he struggled to make sense of what had happened.

He'd been at Bella's house, they'd made love and then… the doorbell! People there for him… Sue… a check up, and then Sue had given him a shot… that's where his memories ended. _'Like hell it was a nutrient shot…'_ he thought bitterly as his anger shot through the roof in an instant. He loosed a loud rumbling sound from his chest as he shot from the bed and snarled at the huge dude standing warily by the door.

He swayed a bit as he got his bearings but he never broke his gaze from that of the other male. "Who the fuck are you and why did you drug and take me?"

The male held up both hands, palms out. "I'm Sam Uley, a friend of Sue Clearwater and a Tribal Council member."

When he didn't say anymore, Paul sneered. "Congratu-fuckin'-lations Council Member Uley. I couldn't give a shit less. Why'd you fucking drug and abduct me?! Tell me now or I'll just kick your ass and then you can _try_ to tell me, how's that?"

Sam smirked. "You think so pup? Let's take this outside. I don't wanna trash the house." He turned and walked down the hall and Paul followed.

When they got outside, Paul scowled as Sam kept walking. "Hey man, where the fuck are you going?" Sam didn't turn but kept walking into the trees.

"Well, come on pup," he said with a glance over his shoulder. "If you're gonna kick my ass, we're gonna do this away from the house." He kept walking until he entered a clearing where Jared sat on a fallen tree, waiting. Paul entered warily a moment later.

"You gonna answer my questions now or later?" he groused.

Sam faced him fully and crossed his arms over his chest. "We had very good reasons for doing what we did."

Paul's anger surged at the non-answer. "So tell me!"

Sam exchanged a look with Jared as they watched Paul shake. "Gettin' mad are ya pup?"

Paul scowled. "That's it asshole. I'm done. Let's go."

With that, he lunged, landing a solid fist to Sam's jaw and ducking the return blow as he landed another punch to Sam's side. Sam grunted as Jared laughed.

"Damn boss! Pup's fast!" Sam rolled his eyes and turned to face Paul, gesturing as he did so. "Bring it kid."

It was his intention to get a couple of hits in on the kid and piss him off enough to finally phase, but Jared was right, the pup was lightning fast. If he couldn't hit him, he'd have to change his tactics.

Paul lunged again and caught the kick that was aimed at his head, spinning away as he twisted and tossed Sam on his ass. "You're gonna have to do better than that asshole. Staying on your feet might help." He smirked and Sam growled as he hopped to his feet.

_'Time for plan B,'_ the Alpha thought grimly.

As he circled Paul, he smirked. "So, I saw you were tapping a nice pale-faced piece of ass there in AZ. Too bad we couldn't bring her with. We could'a passed her around." He winked over at Jared as Paul's shaking increased.

"You shut your fuckin' mouth about her before I shut it for you asshole," Paul seethed with narrowed eyes.

Sam grinned maliciously as he continued to needle the volatile pup. "Maybe we could still go get her. You up for tapping some white strange Jared?" Jared glanced at Paul and noticed the heated amber glow to his eyes and the steady growl now coming from him as he caught on to what Sam was after and nodded. "Yeah man, I could do with some sweet, white pussy."

That did it, and as they watched, Paul screamed and exploded into a beautiful, sleek, silver wolf who immediately bared his teeth and lunged.

Sam phased instantly and clashed with the new wolf, now intent on damage control. He wanted to sigh in relief when he felt Jared phase in. _**"Paul!"**_ the Alpha spoke sternly through their link. _**"Try to calm down! We only said those things to get you angry enough to phase!"**_

The silver wolf was beyond listening though and sank his teeth into Sam's side before twisting away as Sam tried to get a hold on his neck. The silver wolf was a bit smaller than the Alpha, but seemed to be twice as fast and Sam growled in frustration. _**"Jared! I need your help here. Let's both circle him and try to pin him. Maybe then I can get him to listen."**_

Together, they circled the enraged silver wolf who spun with them, watching them warily as he growled. Sam tried to talk him down again. _**"Paul, look at yourself… look at us… calm down and think about the situation."**_

Paul heard the voices in his head, but this was just too much… this couldn't be happening! _'What kind of drugs did they give me?!'_ he thought in pure panic as he continued to move with the circling wolves. _'What kind of fucked up nightmare is this?!'_

A deep, resonating voice answered his thoughts.

_**"This is not a nightmare and it's not caused by drugs Paul. Think back… remember our legends told around the bonfire… they're all true Paul… We are the protectors… you are a protector. When you got angry enough, you phased into your wolf form. That's why we said the things we did, to get you angry enough to phase. With practice, you'll be able to phase at will. To phase back to your human form, just concentrate on doing human things—feel yourself as a human and you should phase back."**_

Sam and Jared watched as the silver wolf shook his head and whined before pinning them with that unique hazel/amber gaze. He stared for just a moment and promptly bolted into the forest.

They raced after him, but he had quite the lead and was way faster than both of them._ **"Damn it,"**_ Sam's voice hissed through the link. _**"He's headed for the treaty line. A few more minutes and he'll be in their territory."**_

Jared glanced at his Alpha as they ran. _**"Maybe you should go call their leader and let them know the situation."**_

_**"Yeah, you stay on his trail, even if he goes over the line. I'll let the Cullen's know what's going on and that they should stay clear from him until we can get him back here and calm."** _As he changed course back to his house he added, _**"I'm worried Jared. I don't hear him in the link."**_

~o0o~

Paul ran and ran without a clue where he was going. He just felt the need to run. He was…scared, freaked, pissed… god there was just too much racing through his mind and he had no idea how to deal with it all… so he ran.

_'Is any of this real?'_ he questioned as he leapt over fallen logs and dodged under low-slung branches. _'Is it all some fucked up hallucination?'_ Icy dread gripped him as his thoughts took another turn. _"Fuck, what if it's not?! What if this is real?! What then? I turn into a massive animal?! My life is over! All my dreams for the future, all I've worked toward…Bella…'_ Despair and hopelessness filled him and he skidded to a stop, tipped his head back and howled low and long in utter sorrow.

~o0o~

Bella sighed as she closed the dresser drawer after putting away the last of her things. It was now mid-day and after a quick morning nap she'd wasted no time settling herself in her room here at Charlie's.

She'd just made one of the last flights of the day to Seattle the day before and she'd traveled pretty much all night. First on the plane, then she'd taken a taxi from the airport to the ferry. From the ferry, she'd taken another taxi all the way to Charlie's house.

She'd called Renee from the airport and explained her early departure. Her mother hadn't been happy, but she'd understood Bella's need to do what she'd done and so, after a few tears and sniffles, Renee had agreed to pack and send her things and they'd ended the call.

Charlie she'd saved for a face to face meeting, but he'd been gone when she'd finally made it to the house, so after throwing a sheet on the new bed Charlie'd bought her, she'd collapsed and slept a few hours.

Now, here she was, awake, fully unpacked, and Charlie still wasn't home.

With a sigh, she headed down stairs to make a sandwich. Throwing together a quick ham and cheese, she leaned against the counter as she ate, wondering what she could do now to keep herself from going stir crazy.

There was a tightness in her chest and a feeling of unease and she felt the need to get out, get away… She clenched a fist as she threw her paper plate away and took a drink from her bottled water.

"A walk Bella," she muttered with a nod. "Yeah, I'll go for a walk before I go spare and start having full blown conversations with myself."

Trotting up the stairs, she grabbed her small bag and phone and headed back down and out the back door. If she remembered correctly, there was a trail leading into the woods just behind the house and she smiled as she spotted it.

She was just past the point where she could no longer see Charlie's house when the sound of a mournful howl reached her and she gasped. _'So much pain in that sound!'_ she thought as her eyes pricked with tears. The howls continued, interspersed with whines and she quickened her pace to reach it.

Consciously, she knew she should be frightened by the prospect of a wolf in the woods. Any normal person would be hauling ass back to Charlie's house with all haste—but her heart—the part that instantly connected with that sad, awful sound—had other ideas entirely, and so she continued on.

Eventually leaving the trail, she fought her way through the thickly blanketed forest floor, dodging low branches and stepping over fallen trees. So focused was she that when she heard the next howl, her heart lurched and her breath caught for there he was, not twenty feet away.

"Oh god," she said lowly as she clutched at her chest. "Even in such pain, you're beautiful."

The wolf slowly lowered his head and stared into her eyes and she covered her mouth as tears traced down her cheeks. She took a step forward but froze when the wolf whipped his head to the side and growled, baring his razor sharp teeth at something she couldn't see.

Just then, a very tall, obviously Quileute man dressed in nothing but cut-off shorts stepped into view as he held up a hand. He kept his eyes on the wary, growling wolf as he spoke to Bella. "You need to back away slowly miss and when you're out of sight, you need to run home as fast as you can." He glanced at her. "Understand? Back away and do not turn and run until you're out of sight. Go now."

The silver wolf snarled and snapped his jaws as he stepped toward the man and Bella frowned. "He doesn't seem to like you and he was calm with me. Maybe you should leave."

Jared clenched his jaw. Was this girl serious? "Look little girl, just do as I said!" he snapped and the wolf lunged at him.

"No! Stop!" Bella yelled and Jared's eyes widened when Paul stopped mid-lunge and turned to the girl with his head tilted and lowered.

A small smile curved Bella's lips as she stared at the silver wolf. She felt drawn to him—connected—bound, and it was this bond that gave her the certainty he wouldn't hurt her. Going with her instincts, she stepped closer as the Quileute man stepped back and watched with widened eyes.

She finally reached the wolf and without hesitation, she reached up and ran her hands through the luxurious fur of his neck. "He's mine," she said as she looked over at Jared. "Do you understand?" she asked with conviction. "He's my wolf." She stretched her arms around the wolf's chest and rubbed her cheek against his shoulder. "This is what the old lady meant," she muttered in sudden understanding.

Vibrations rumbled through the wolf's chest and she backed away to look in his eyes. As she stared for a moment an urge compelled her to sweep her hair off her neck and tilt her head.

As soon as she had, the wolf took a great huff of her scent there, tilted his head up and howled, but this one was anything but mournful and she waited on him patiently. When the howl ended, he bared his teeth, circled around behind her and gently clamped his fangs into the juncture between her neck and shoulder, drawing a gasp from her as her eyes closed.

When he loosed the bite, he licked over the punctures, healing them instantly and circled back around to face her. She opened her eyes slowly and met his gaze and as she watched, he shimmered and morphed into his human form. "Bella," he said, his voice choked with emotion as she threw herself into his arms.

He buried his face in her neck and she could feel wetness there from his tears. "Paul… baby, it's all right. Everything's gonna be all right. We'll get through this and anything else that comes our way, I promise you. I am yours and you are mine and together we'll face it all."

And he felt it. He felt everything she felt and said somewhere deep in his soul and for the first time since this madness struck, he had hope…

As long as he had Bella, he had hope.

**Your thoughts? Let me hear from you!**

**Review please? **

**'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and any original characters therein. No copyright infringement intended.

A/N: Hi all! This one is a little shorter than the other chapters but I'm still battling whatever the hell this bug is so please forgive. Thank you all for the amazing response to this story. You guys rock! Shout out to **MajorWhitlockLvr89** for the story cover! Thank you sweets! ~Spudz

P.S. Pack mind speak will be in _**bold italics.**_

* * *

~o0o~

**Chapter 9**

**~ Jambi ~**

**But I,**  
**And I would,**  
**If I could,**  
**And I would**  
**Wish it away,**  
**Wish it away,**  
**Wish it all away,**  
**Wanna wish it all away,**  
**No prize that could hold sway,**  
**Or justify my giving away,**  
**My center.**

**~o0o~**

As soon as he'd witnessed Paul phase back to human, Jared rushed into the dense woods and phased. _**"Sam! The pup's back to his human form. Bring an extra pair of shorts, will ya?"**_

_**"How did you get him calm enough?"**_ Sam questioned, his voice laced with surprise.

_**"Uh, well… shit, I'll just show you."**_ With that, he let his memories of what he'd witnessed between Paul's wolf and Bella play out until he was startled by his Alpha's voice.

_**"What the hell was that?! How could you even allow her to get close much less allow what I just saw?"**_ he hissed in anger.

Jared got defensive. _**"He was prepared to fight! There was a human girl there who refused to leave! What the fuck was I supposed to do, huh Sam? If I would'a touched her, shit would'a got real in a hurry and you know it!"**_

_**"Fine,"**_ Sam conceded reluctantly. _**"I see your point, but now we have a human girl to deal with…"**_

Jared paced between trees, his wolf snorting in imitation of a human scoff. _**"Pretty sure there's nothing to be done with her Boss. You saw that part, right? He marked her—his wolf marked her for fucks sake! She let him, while not showing an ounce of fear! Hell, she even bared her neck to him! Imprints I've heard of… but that?! Boss, just what the fuck WAS that?"**_

The sound of a mental sigh ghosted through their link. _**"Hell if I know Jared. Maybe the elders will know. At any rate, I'm almost there. What are they doing now?"**_

Jared peeked through the foliage. _**"They're sitting there,"**_ he answered in a flat tone. _**"He's holding her."**_ He paced back into the thicker trees. _**"They're not even talking; just holding each other."**_

_**"Good,"**_ Sam snapped. _**"I'll be with you in a few minutes."**_

Jared flopped into a pile of leaves. _**"Yep, I'll be here."**_

~o0o~

After a few moments of just sitting together, Bella shifted in Paul's hold to face him. He met her eyes reluctantly as she cupped his face. "What happened after they took you Paul?"

He turned his face as he stared off in the distance, his body tensed as he answered. "The fuckers must have kept me drugged the whole trip here. I don't remember shit until waking up in that Sam guy's house. He was at the door to the room they had me in when I finally came to. I demanded answers, but he refused." He turned back to meet her eyes as her fingers stroked the back of his neck. He leaned forward and kissed just under her ear before continuing with a sigh. "I told him I'd kick his ass if he didn't answer and he led me out into the woods where that other guy was waiting. He still wouldn't tell me anything and it was pissing me off so I got in a couple a' hits. Then he started talking shit about you…"

Bella's eyes widened as Paul growled and started to shake. His eyes clenched and he tried to push her away. "Bella—get away baby—I think it's happening again…" His voice was tight with pain and the sound of it shook Bella from her shock. She wrapped herself around him and buried her face in his neck as she whispered in his ear. "Paul baby it's okay." She ran her fingers through his hair and kept talking in a low, soothing tone. "Shh, it doesn't matter what he said—just concentrate on us—just you and me, we're together now, we're all that matters…"

She placed feather-light kisses on his neck and smiled as she felt his arms encircle her again as he relaxed. He nuzzled his face into her neck and kissed over her mark. "Thank you Shorty. I'm okay now."

She backed away and met his eyes. "I know you are," she said as she cupped his face and kissed his lips. "Now, finish telling me what happened and don't get spun up because what he said can't really touch us baby. We're above all that."

He sighed and nodded. "Yeah, well he talked his shit and got the other guy, Jared to join in and I lost it. The next thing I knew…" He closed his eyes, dropped his head down and shook it slowly. "...I had turned into a giant fucking animal B. I attacked Sam. He turned into a wolf too. We fought." He raised his head and looked into Bella's eyes. "He was talking to me in my _mind_ B. I could hear him and the other guy speaking…it…freaked me out even worse than I already was so I ran. I just needed to get away from them. That's when you found me."

The despair she saw in his eyes twisted her heart and she held his face as she spoke. "You're amazing and beautiful and mine. This isn't the end of anything Paul, do you hear? We're gonna learn all we can about this and deal with it together."

He scoffed and turned his face away. "How is this not the end of everything? It's the end of everything I've ever worked for Bella!" He looked back at her, a frown marring his brow. "How can I live a normal life if I turn into a massive animal when I get pissed off? I have a really shitty temper B. I always have…" He shook his head and looked away again.

She sat back and crossed her arms over her chest. "Yeah? Well, guess what? I'm stubborn and I'm not about to let you give up. I'm not about to lose you to anger and bitterness. It might be a challenge, but I'll find a way to kick your ass into shape before I let that happen."

He slowly turned his head and looked at her with one raven brow cocked. "You think so?"

She narrowed her eyes. "You don't scare me Paul, not even as a wolf. I mean, yeah, you could hurt me as a man and as a wolf, but would you?"

She watched as his brows drew together and he pulled her close and nuzzled her neck, his voice choked as he answered. "No. God, just the thought of hurting you tears at something inside me."

She nodded against him and kissed his neck. "That's what I thought. I feel the same way…" She backed away to look in his eyes and held up a menacing finger. "…however, kicking your ass for your own good is still on the table, so don't piss me off mister."

He stared at her as his brows inched up and a smile curved his lips. The next thing she knew, she was on her back in a pile of leaves with Paul tickling her mercilessly as she begged him to stop. When he finally did, she smirked at him as he loomed over her. Her eyes sparkled with mirth and heat as they trailed down his body. "Uh, Paul?" She looked in his eyes. "You do realize you're naked, right?"

"Damn, no wonder I was feeling a draft," he said with a roll of his eyes. "Yeah, apparently exploding into a giant wolf is tough on the clothes."

She grinned as she ran a hand down his muscled chest. "Oh darn. That's…" He hissed as she tweaked a nipple. "…a shame." She smirked.

A clearing throat had Paul grabbing her up with a growl as he faced the intruder.

Sam held up a hand and tossed a pair of shorts to him. "Thought you may need those. Put 'em on and we'll talk."

Paul shot him a dark look, but stood and set Bella on her feet as he grabbed the shorts and turned his back to slip them on. Just as he was about to button and zip them, he heard Bella. "Wait!"

He looked at her and cocked a brow as she grabbed the waist-band at the back and slipped her hand in. She pulled it out and held up a leaf as a blush heated her cheeks. "It was, uh…yeah…go ahead." She dropped the leaf and waved a hand.

He smirked at her as he zipped up and she scowled. "Fine, next time I'll let you deal with a leaf stuck to your butt."

He grabbed her into a hug and kissed her jaw as he murmured. "What would I do without you Shorty?"

She smiled against his chest. "Have a leafy ass?"

He laughed lightly until the sound of Sam clearing his throat caught his attention again and he scowled.

"I've called the elders. We need to meet with them. Billy Black and his son should be here with a truck soon to take us back to the rez since we need to take the girl. We're closest to Chief Swan's house so that's where we'll meet him." He turned his back and began walking. "Let's get going."

Paul bristled at what sounded like an order, and Bella rubbed his bicep as she held his tensed arm. "Calm baby. We already know he's lacking in people skills, but we need to hear what the elders have to say about all this."

He stared down into her eyes and nodded as he worked to relax. "Yeah, we do."

They began following Sam and Jared when Bella glanced back up at Paul with a frown. "You got bigger damn it."

He grinned and scooped her into his arms and she squeaked at the sudden move. "Warn me before you do that!" She laughed as he nuzzled her neck.

"Don't be sad 'cause you're little Shorty," he mumbled between kisses to her neck. "We fit together just right," he said as he nipped below her ear. "You remember?" he asked lowly and she just barely held back a moan at the feel of his hot kisses and the memories he'd just evoked.

He took a deep breath. "You smell so sweet when you're turned on B." He kissed her ear again and whispered, "I don't know what I want more…to taste you or to fuck you…you're driving me crazy."

"Paul," she groaned. "Shit, you have to stop. We're almost to my Dad's house. You know, Charlie…the cop with a gun?"

"I don't care," he mumbled and sucked at his mark on her neck. "A bullet would be worth it."

She laughed and pushed against him. "Well, I do care. He might shoot a part that I'm particularly fond of and that would really suck baby."

He raised his head with a sigh. "Fine, I see your point."

She laid her head on his shoulder with a smile as her hand traced the muscles of his chest. "Soon though," she whispered. "I'm dying to feel you inside me again."

He groaned as he reached down and adjusted himself. "Fuck B, not helping."

She smirked. "So, it's okay for you to get me all hot, but not the other way around?"

"Oh, I didn't say that. Just wait until later—I'll kick back and relax and you can get me as hot as you want." He smiled widely. "In any way you want."

Sam's voice filtered back to them then. "You two may want to change the topic of conversation. We're almost there and they're waiting on us."

Bella sighed. "Well, what to talk about then?"

He shrugged a shoulder. "Why don't you come to my house after this and we can have dinner? I'm fuckin' starving. I haven't eaten since I left my Aunt's house."

She gasped and pulled back to see his face. "They didn't feed you at all?!"

"I was knocked out the whole time Shorty. Shit kinda went to hell when I woke up, so no, I haven't eaten."

"Assholes," she grumbled as she rested back against him.

Paul broke through the tree line then and stopped short as a group of people stopped talking and turned to stare.

One stepped forward looking quite shocked and perplexed as he spoke. "Bells? What are you doing here so early," his voice dropped and eyes narrowed as he continued. "…and why are you in Paul Lahote's arms?"

Bella sat up and grinned sheepishly. "Uh, hi Charlie."

**Your thoughts? Please review!**

**Love to you,**

**'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and any original characters therein. No copyright infringement intended.

A/N: This chapter is plot and information intensive, but hopefully still pleasing. You all let me know, yeah? As usual, you amaze me with your response to this story, and I humbly thank you! I'm honored to have you along on this journey! ~Spudz

* * *

**~ Jambi ~**

**The devil and his had me down,  
In love with the dark side I'd found.  
Dabble in all the way down  
Up to my neck soon to drown.**

**But you changed that all for me.**  
**Lifted me up, turned me round.**  
**~o0o~**

Chapter 10

Charlie's narrowed gaze pinned Paul. "Son, why are you holding my daughter?"

"Uh, well," Paul stalled as he set Bella on her feet. "We…uh…" His brain locked up. He didn't want to screw this up. He respected and loved Charlie, but he wouldn't give Bella up for anything. He had no idea what to say.

Bella stepped in front of Paul and met Charlie's eyes with a calm, steady gaze. "Charlie, meet my boyfriend, Paul Lahote. We started dating in Arizona." She smiled brightly. "It's pretty great though right, 'cause you already know and like him, so none of that awkward 'new boyfriend' BS to deal with." She smiled and Charlie cut his gaze, which was darkening by the second, to Paul's.

"That was before he was dating my daughter," he grumbled.

Sam stepped forward, looking a little reluctant. Still, he spoke up. "We really need to get going. We need to have that meeting and the elders are waiting." He looked at Billy. "Right Chief Black?"

Billy rubbed his forehead tiredly as his eyes flitted from Charlie to the young couple, one of whom was his best friend's daughter. "Yes, they're waiting." He met Charlie's eyes. "You should come along. This concerns your daughter, so now it concerns you."

Charlie's brows drew together. "They're dating. How can that be important enough to merit a tribal council meeting?"

Billy stared at Charlie for a beat, his expression solemn. "Please Charlie, humor me. You know me well enough to know I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important."

Charlie sighed and nodded. "All right Billy," he said as he opened the door to his cruiser. "I'll meet you there." He looked at Bella. "You're coming with me. We need to talk."

Bella felt Paul tense behind her and turned to him. "Paul," she said as she rubbed his arms. "It's just a few minutes, and I really think I need to give him this before everything is dumped in his lap."

Paul fought the panic he felt inside with everything in him as he nodded. He knew logically, this reaction was ridiculous, and it was that knowledge along with the fact that he knew Bella loved him that allowed him to watch her get in and drive away with Charlie. Still, once she was gone, the tremors in his body increased, especially when Sam approached. "You look like you could use a run." He handed Paul a leather tie. "Take the shorts off and tie them to your leg before you phase. You know where the Council Hall is?"

Paul sneered at him and turned away as he answered. "Yeah, I know where it is."

Sam watched Paul walk back into the woods before turning to Jared and speaking lowly. "Phase and follow him. I'll see you there. I need to speak to Billy."

Jared sighed and nodded before jogging into the woods.

~o0o~

After Charlie and Bella left, Sam turned to Billy who gave a nod of understanding before turning to a bored looking Jake. "Son, you mind riding in the back? I need to speak to Sam before the meeting."

Jake sighed, looking put out, but nodded anyway. "Sure Dad, no problem."

He helped his dad into the passenger side and put the wheel chair in the back before hopping in beside it. Sam slid into the driver seat and started the truck. Billy looked at him as they pulled away from the Swan residence and onto the main toad. "Okay, tell me."

Sam didn't bother looking away from the road as he spoke. "As we briefed you before leaving, Sue and I went and got him from Arizona. He was very close to phasing, so Sue drugged him and we brought him back here. We knew, from what his Aunt said, he was developing a serious relationship with a girl there so I kinda figured he wouldn't leave willingly."

Billy sighed and nodded. "Still, it's damn regrettable the way it was handled. I can't see him being very cooperative after that."

Sam stared straight ahead. "He'll get over it."

Billy studied the Alpha's profile for a beat before murmuring, "Yeah, I suppose he will. So, tell me the rest. What went on today to merit a meeting with the elders?"

This time, Sam glanced over at his Chief before answering. "His wolf marked her, and I don't think he realizes this, but I'm almost certain he imprinted once he was back in human form." A frown creased his brow as he continued. "I can't always hear him in the pack mind either. It's as if he's able to block me and Jared somehow. Like he's not connected." He glanced back at a silent Billy and took note of the shock he saw on the man's face.

"His wolf marked her before he imprinted, and his mind is his own?"

Sam gave a sharp nod. "Yes, and that's not the strangest part. When the girl saw the wolf, she went right up to him, embraced him fully and told Jared that the wolf was hers. She even mumbled something about that being what the old lady meant." He glanced at Billy again as he turned into the Council Hall parking lot. "Not sure what that's all about, but I bet there's an interesting story behind it."

He cut the engine and Billy looked at him. "Well, let's get in there and find out what we're dealing with because if it's what I suspect, then our people are in for a time such as we've never seen before."

Sam hopped out of the truck murmuring under his breath, "That doesn't sound ominous at all." He did a quick survey of the tree line and sighed as he saw a pacing Jared. He jogged over. "What's wrong?

Jared threw up a hand. "Can't get him to phase back. He's right back there, pacing and growling. Something's got him upset."

They both heard a howl and cringed. "Shit," Sam muttered. "I'm gonna phase and Alpha order him if I have to."

Jared smirked. "Good luck boss. I still couldn't hear him when I was phased. Not sure how he blocks the link, but he does." Another howl rent the stillness and Sam cursed and jogged into the woods, calling back over his shoulder. "Phase with me Jared. I may need you."

~o0o~

Bella glanced at Charlie as he drove, waiting patiently for him to speak. She knew instinctively to give him a moment to gather his thoughts; that he would speak when he was ready. They were alike in that way, and so she kept silent.

Finally, he spoke. "What's going on Bella?"

She took a breath and began. "Paul and I met in Arizona at a Pow Wow Renee insisted I attend with her. He saved me from a guy who was in the middle of beating me." Charlie glanced at her sharply and she continued. "Who knows what he would have done if Paul hadn't kicked his ass." She ran a hand through her hair at the memory and continued. "Anyway, we began hanging out as friends after that, and things developed from there. We didn't know of our common connections until we'd already developed feelings for each other."

She fell silent and Charlie took a good look at her before cutting his gaze back to the road. "It's serious," was all he said.

He hadn't phrased it as a question, but she nodded anyway. "Yeah Dad. I love him and he loves me."

Charlie stared at her for a second and rubbed his forehead. "So, other than him being Quileute, why are we on our way to a tribal council meeting?"

She met his eyes. "I really think they'll be better at explaining all that Dad. I don't really know much about it and I'd probably just screw it up." She peeked at him. "And it's kind of important to get it right."

Charlie pulled into the Council Hall parking lot, parked and cut the engine. He stared into the distance for a moment before looking at Bella. "He tell you how we met?"

Bella shrugged and stared at her hands clasped in her lap. "He told me you started coming around when he was fourteen. That you began taking him fishing and to the batting and pitching cages; that you always encouraged him and never let him get down on himself." She met Charlie's gaze. "He told me that he loves you more than he ever loved his father. He also told me that you're dating his mother."

Charlie rubbed his eyes with his thumb and forefinger before nodding. "All true Bells, and yet he left out just how we met."

Bella blinked as she stared through the windshield for a moment. "Okay Charlie. Tell me. But let me just say this; whatever you tell me won't change a thing." She locked her gaze with that of her father's and Charlie was shocked and impressed at the strength and resolve he saw in those brown eyes that were so like his.

He nodded slowly and began speaking. "I got a call one night when I was at Billy's watching a game. It was for a disturbance at the Lahote residence. I knew it was serious because that's the only time we're ever called for something on the rez. Billy went with me. When I got there, I saw Lisa Lahote. She'd been terribly beaten; life-threateningly so. I also saw Paul. He'd been beaten too, but not as badly. His arm and collarbone were broken. When I took Lisa's statement, she told me that she'd come home to find her husband drunk and beating Paul. She'd tried to stop him and he'd turned on her; that he'd gone crazy and wouldn't stop even when Paul tried to pull him off her." Charlie looked at Bella and wasn't surprised to see the tears that wet her cheeks. Still, he continued on with the story. "What finally stopped the beating and saved Lisa's life was Paul. He stabbed his father in the neck with a kitchen knife and killed him."

"Oh god," Bella cried quietly as she covered her face and rocked. "He'd said it was bad, but he hadn't told me yet. Oh Paul…" Just then, she shot up and looked toward the woods to see Sam jogging into the trees. She opened her door and looked back at Charlie. "I have to go," she said as she wiped her tears. "He needs me." With that, she got out and ran toward the trees as Charlie cursed lowly and followed.

~o0o~

If the sounds of vicious snarling and yipping hadn't stopped Charlie's heart as he caught up to Bella, then the sight of her approaching a trio of horse-sized wolves almost did. _'Good god! Those can't be wolves!'_ he thought as his mind did its best to reject the sight before him even as he pulled his sidearm. He resisted drawing down on the beasts though as Bella was in the way. "Bella!" he yelled. "Get back here!"

She glanced at him and kept going as she answered. "Holster the gun Dad. It's fine. Trust me."

Horror stricken, he watched as she walked toward the silver wolf who, at the moment, was posturing and snarling at the giant black wolf who also had his lips pulled up in a vicious snarl.

"Back off Sam!" Bella snapped as she moved forward slowly.

To Charlie's astonishment, the black wolf did just that, yipping at the brown wolf as they both disappeared into the trees.

"Bells?" Charlie questioned quietly as she buried both hands into the fur at the massive animal's neck. "What the hell?" he said lowly as the wolf seemed to nuzzle his daughter affectionately.

Then she spoke to it and if Charlie thought he was going crazy before, he was now certain of it.

"Paul baby, it's okay. I'm fine. You felt me didn't you? That's why you're upset?

The huge wolf whined and she wound her arms around its neck. "I'm fine but I need you. Turn back for me?"

As Charlie watched, the wolf's form shimmered and blurred until a very human and very naked Paul Lahote stood in front of his daughter who promptly threw herself into his arms.

"What happened B? I felt you. You were so upset. Shit, I almost charged into the parking lot to find you but Jared said I couldn't do that."

Sam and Jared walked back through the trees and Sam looked confused. "Jared said he can't hear you Lahote so how is it you can hear him?"

Bella backed out of Paul's arms and glanced at Charlie who was looking a bit sick. She turned back and caressed Paul's cheek as she said, "Baby, maybe you should put some shorts on and we can get to the meeting." She looked over at Sam. "That would probably be a better place for questions and answers, don't you think?"

Sam scowled and grunted as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Fine. But I need answers."

Bella's anger spiked and she walked up to the towering Alpha. "You mean the way you were so forthcoming when you abducted Paul?" Before he could even begin to answer, Bella's hand connected solidly with his cheek in a stinging slap. "You're a class-A asshole Sam and being a leader doesn't give you that right. It certainly won't earn any respect."

The Alpha stared at her in disbelief as she walked back and took Paul's hand. As they fell into step together, she looked at her stunned father. "Let's go to a meeting, shall we?"

As Charlie trailed them back to the meeting hall, he studied Bella's straight back and proud bearing and murmured, "Who are you and what have you done with my shy, clumsy daughter?"

They all took seats in the meeting hall as Sam made his way to the front to sit with his fellow Council Members.

When all were settled, silence fell and Billy Black spoke. "I'd like to thank you all for attending on such short notice. Although inconvenient for some, this meeting, I believe, will prove to hold great importance for our people. First, I would like to welcome Paul Lahote as a new Protector of our people." He met Paul's steady, piercing gaze and continued. "Paul, I would also extend an apology, as your Chief, for the way you were taken against your will. Although I understand the direness of the circumstances, it still does not excuse the violation and disrespect you suffered."

Paul inclined his head in a show of respect and acknowledgement to his Chief and Billy continued. "I have with me some very old drawings and writings from our ancestors. There was supposed to be a mate's bracelet in this collection, but I could not find it." He unrolled one particular drawing that was done in exacting detail and color and passed it among his fellow council members. "No doubt you all have seen this drawing many times over the years, but what you may not know is the legend that goes with it. The legend speaks of the silver wolf with eyes the color of amber, such as you see in the drawing. It tells us that he and his mate will save our people by leading us to victory over the cold ones."

Several gasps were heard from those listening, with Harry Clearwater finally speaking. "We have a treaty! There's no need for war. That legend is an outdated myth! What would possess you to bring this up now in a time of peace?" He looked out at his old friend Charlie and then back at Billy. "We have outsiders among us too! Have you lost your mind?!"

Billy remained calm. He had expected this sort of reaction. "Charlie Swan is no longer an outsider. His daughter, Isabella is the marked and imprinted mate of the silver wolf, Paul Lahote."

Harry scoffed and sat back in disgust. "I can't believe this Billy." He looked at Sam. "Alpha, have the Cullens caused any problems or rebelled against the treaty in any way?"

Sam answered in a solemn voice. "They have not."

Sue Clearwater stood then and Billy gestured to her to speak. She looked apologetically at her husband Harry before finally doing so. "Chief Black, perhaps you could share with us why you believe Paul Lahote to be the wolf of the legend?"

He smiled gratefully. "Sure. It was foretold that the silver wolf would not be subject to an Alpha, but neither would he lead a pack. Sam cannot hear Paul in the pack mind unless Paul wishes him to, therefore he is not subject to an Alpha order. While he can work with the pack, he is an independent wolf. I would venture a guess and say that the Alpha cannot beat Paul in a fight." Sam glared and Paul smirked as Billy continued. "It was also foretold that the wolf would mark his mate before the man had ever imprinted on her. This has happened with Paul and Bella whereas such a marking has never before been documented in our history."

Charlie shot to his feet. "All right, I think I've been pretty damn patient with all of this so far, but now you're talking about my daughter as though she's been claimed like a piece of property and I want to know what the hell's going on."

Bella placed a hand on her father's arm and Billy looked at his friend.

"Charlie, she is not property, but the equal soul mate to Paul. The wolf's instincts drove him to mark her to keep her safe and distinct from others. If I understand correctly, it is also part of sealing their bond. The tribe sees it as more sacred than marriage."

Charlie's eyes went wide as he stared at his friend as if he'd never seen him before. "Marriage?! Has the whole damn world gone mad in a day?! Jesus!" He sagged back into his seat and swiped a hand over his mustache as he closed his eyes. "Unbelievable," he muttered.

Bella rubbed his arm and quietly asked, "Dad, are you okay?"

Charlie looked at her with his mouth slightly open for a moment before a slightly hysterical laugh escaped him. "I don't know what the hell I am at the moment Bells, but okay definitely isn't it." He looked back at Billy who was sitting patiently. "Cold ones…you all keep talking about something called cold ones and you've mentioned the Cullens. What the hell are they? Do they turn into something too?"

Billy took a deep breath and let it out slowly before answering. "Cold ones are what most people term vampires." He paused to let Charlie get over his brief laughing fit. "They are the natural enemies of our protectors. Our protectors destroy them. They or another vampire are the only beings strong enough to destroy a vampire."

Bella was now clinging to Paul's arm and he pulled her into his lap to comfort her. After phasing for the first time and hearing Sam say their legends were true, he'd kind of guessed the part about the cold ones was true too so this information didn't come as a shock to him. Bella however, hadn't known any of this and she was obviously upset as she curled into his chest. She recovered quickly though and looked at Billy. "You said the silver wolf is foretold to lead your people to victory…" Billy nodded and she continued. "Are there more details to the legend?"

Billy smiled, trying to reassure her as he answered with pride evident in his tone. "There are. It is foretold that the silver wolf will conquer three kings and by doing so, he will forever establish our people's dominance over the race of the cold ones. He will establish peace for all future generations of our people."

Bella glanced up at Paul as he cocked a brow and finally spoke. "No pressure or anything," he scoffed. His arms tightened around Bella as she laid her cheek against the heated skin of his chest. "What if I don't particularly want to do any of this? Do I even get a say? I had plans for my life! I have a scholarship that I worked my ass off to get! I'm supposed to leave at the end of this month!"

Sam pinned him with a glare. "The protection of our people is more important than the plans of one person. Now that you are a protector, it is your duty to stay and protect. That is the way it's always been and it is not for us to choose. The Spirits chose us and it is our fate."

Paul started to shake and the only thing that stopped him from bolting from the hall in rage was Bella as she clung to him and soothed him with soft words and feather light kisses. "We'll face it all together Paul. And when it's over, we'll live our lives," she murmured quietly.

He closed his eyes and slowed his breathing as he listened to her voice and soon the shaking stopped. When he was in control, he pinned Billy with that unnerving glowing amber gaze. "Well, due to your overwhelming care and hospitality, I'm going on forty-eight hours with no food." He stood and set Bella on her feet beside him. "I'm going home." He looked down at Bella and caressed her chin. "Meet me there when you're done here?"

She glanced at Charlie and nodded. "We will."

With that, he strode out of the hall without a look back as Billy sighed and Sam shook his head.

Bella turned to Charlie. "Dad, I need to ask Billy about something before we leave. Do you mind?"

"No, I'll walk up there with you," he said as he gestured toward the front.

When they approached, Billy broke off his quiet conversation with Sam and smiled at Bella. "Little Isabella! It's been so long, I hardly recognize you. Forgive me for not greeting you earlier."

She cracked a small smile. "It's completely understandable Billy, and it's good to see you again too."

He folded his hands together atop the table. "Was there something I can help you with?"

She fidgeted and bit her lip. "You mentioned a bracelet earlier…"

"Ah, yes. I regret not being able to find it. It must have been misplaced in storage. If I'm right, it belongs to you and I'll let you know if I find it. Why do you ask?"

She held up her wrist and the bracelet the old woman gave her. "Did it look like this?"

Both Billy and Harry gasped as they looked at it with Harry asking, "How did you get that?"

"I went to a Pow Wow in Arizona. Just before I met Paul, I was browsing the vendor booths and an old lady told me the Spirits had something for me. She brought this out and gave it to me. She told me the wolf is mine and to keep him with me always, for we would save each other. She wouldn't let me pay for it either. Told me I couldn't pay for something the Spirits deemed as mine." She peered around at all the Council Members who were now staring at her. "I take it you all recognize this bracelet?"

"Yes," Billy breathed as he met her eyes. "That's quite the story and I suppose it solves part of the mystery of the missing bracelet. Have you noticed anything strange about it Bella?" he asked with curiosity lacing his tone.

"Well," she said as she traced her fingers over the wolf, "when Paul touched it for the first time, I felt a surge of something like energy run through it and into my arm. I've also noticed, since putting it on, I've felt more confident…empowered…" She sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "It's a bit difficult to put into words…"

Billy held up a hand as he answered solemnly. "No need Bella. The meaning is clear to me, and only serves to bolster my assertion that Paul is the silver wolf of the legend and you his rightful mate."

Harry leaned toward her with a hand out. "May I?" he asked as she looked at him.

Silently, she held her arm out to him and he touched the wolf. "Damn!" he hissed as he jerked his hand back.

Billy smirked at him. "What happened Harry?"

Harry shot his friend a dark look. "The damn thing…shocked me…is the only way I can describe it."

Billy sat back looking smug. "Still say I'm full of it?"

"I don't know why you're looking so smug Billy," he grumbled. "If you're right, it means war…in the not so distant future."

**Your thoughts? Please review!**

**Thank you guys!**

**'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and any original characters therein. No copyright infringement intended.

A/N: Lemon in the latter part of the chapter. Thanks to all of you! You all are the best! ~Spudz

* * *

**~o0o~**

**~ Jambi ~**

**Breathe in union.  
Breathe in union.  
Breathe in union.  
So as one survive.  
Another day and season.  
~o0o~**

Chapter 11

Bella wasn't sure what to expect from Paul's home, but as she and Charlie pulled up in the cruiser and parked, she was pleasantly surprised by it. It looked nothing like his Aunt's house in Arizona, which was a well-kept middle class home typical of the area.

This home was nestled among the trees and while not small, could still be termed as quaint with its full front porch and painted window shutters. It was beautiful and she loved it immediately.

She looked over at Charlie as he sat there for a moment, seeming to gather himself. "Dad," she said tentatively, "you gonna be all right?"

He ran a hand over his face and shook his head slowly. "I'm still trying to process Bells." He looked at her. "The whole damn world as I knew it just went to hell, ya know? I mean, I've been a cop a long time now…thought I'd seen pretty much everything and nothing could phase me anymore…"

She nodded. "You know, this is all pretty new to me and Paul too. Things didn't get weird until Sue Clearwater and Sam Uley showed up in Arizona. When they drugged and took Paul, I kind of freaked. If it hadn't been for Rudy…" She gasped. "Oh god, Rudy! I was supposed to call him."

Charlie glanced at her. "Rudy?" he questioned.

"Yeah, Paul's cousin." She smiled. "He's pretty awesome and kept me from losing it completely, thank god. I can only imagine the mess if I'd flipped and called the cops about Paul's abduction…"

Charlie chuckled darkly at that. "I can only imagine Bells."

"He's gonna wanna kill me when I finally call."

Charlie smirked under his mustache as he opened his door. "Maybe you should do that sooner rather than later."

Bella got out of the cruiser and closed the door. "I will, after I see Paul. He seemed really upset. I wanna make sure he's okay."

They walked up to the house and Charlie's brows were drawn together as he looked at her. "He has reason to be Bells. Sounded to me like his whole future is off the table now and he'd worked hard for it." He shook his head and climbed the steps.

Bella joined him by the door as he knocked, her nerves about meeting Paul's mother just now kicking in since so much had occupied her mind all day. Now it was time to face the other woman in his life and she felt a little sick.

When the door opened, the immediate warmth of the woman's smile helped to put her at ease. She was only a couple of inches taller than Bella, petite, with a softly oval shaped face, high cheek bones and almond shaped hazel eyes; she was beautiful

"Charlie, you know you don't need to knock! Come on in!"

She backed away and held the door wide as they entered and Charlie turned to her as she closed the door. She immediately went into his arms and they hugged warmly as Charlie ran his fingers through her lustrous black hair. "Hi Lis," he murmured. He backed away and met her eyes. "Everything okay?"

She sighed. "Paul…well, you'll see. He's pretty upset, but he hasn't really told me why. I'm worried about him."

Charlie nodded and reached for Bella. "This is my daughter, Bella. Bella, this is my fiancée and Paul's mother, Lisa."

Bella's eyes had gone a bit wide with shock, but she recovered and smiled genuinely as she stepped forward and shook Lisa's hand. "Nice to meet you Lisa."

Lisa dropped her hand and gave Bella a warm hug as she smiled. "I'm so happy to finally meet you! Charlie's told me so much about you!"

"Uh oh," Bella said with a chuckle and Lisa smirked.

"Don't worry, it was all good and I have to say, you're even more beautiful in person. None of the pictures did you justice."

Bella silently cursed the blush that now heated her cheeks and wasn't quite sure what to say. "Thank you," she mumbled and breathed a sigh of relief when Paul came down the stairs.

"Paul!" Lisa chirped. "I'd like you to…" She trailed off as Paul grabbed Bella into a tight embrace which she returned as he buried his face in her hair.

"Hi baby," he said as his shocked mother stood next to an apologetic looking Charlie. He kissed her sweetly but broke it when Charlie cleared his throat.

Lisa's gaze flitted between the three of them and she finally found her voice. "Something I'm missing?"

Paul straightened up and faced his mother while Bella faced her too, leaning back into Paul's arms. "Yeah Mom," he said, his voice strong and steady. "This is Bella, my…girlfriend, I guess you'd say, but that just doesn't cut it. She's my everything." He leaned down, kissed Bella's cheek and asked, "You've met my Mom?"

Bella caressed his arms where they were crossed over her shoulders and chest as she nodded. "Yeah, we just met."

Lisa looked at Charlie. "How?" she asked, her brows raised.

Paul gave the short answer. "Bella and I met and started dating in Arizona. We didn't find out our common connections until later. Now, can we eat? I'm starving."

"Oh, gosh yes, where are my manners? Here we are still in the entryway…" she trailed off as she took Charlie's hand and began leading him through to the dining room.

"Please," she said with a slightly dazed smile. "Have a seat and I'll bring in the food. I hope lasagna's okay?"

Charlie sat and nodded. "Sounds great to me."

Bella broke away from Paul. "Let me help you."

Lisa smiled gratefully. "Thanks, that would be great," she said as she led Bella into the kitchen. "If you could grab the basket of bread and the salad, I'll get the pan of lasagna."

Before she could move away, Bella laid a hand on her arm. "Lisa, I just want to apologize for springing all this on you so suddenly and I also want you to know that I love Paul very much. He means the world to me."

Lisa smiled softly. "The same can be said for me with Charlie. Please know that I love him with my whole heart and I'll treat him right. I know we kind of sprang our news on you too." She laughed lightly. "Guess we could all use some lessons in communication."

Bella smiled and nodded. "You're right, but at least we're communicating now." She met Lisa's eyes. "You need to know there's more, but it can wait until after dinner. Today has been rather hellish."

Lisa grabbed the oven mitts and opened the warm oven to take out the lasagna. "Yeah, Paul seemed very pensive when he got home, but he wouldn't talk."

Bella grabbed the bread and salad. "He was probably still processing everything himself." She met Lisa's gaze solemnly. "There's a lot to take in and it's serious."

Lisa froze for a moment as she stared at Bella. "Okay," she said with a nod. "Whatever it is, we'll handle it together, but—you're not preg.…" She trailed off as Bella's eyes widened.

"No! Oh god no. That's not it at all."

"Oh good," she breathed in relief. "I'd really hate to have Charlie wanting to kill my son." They chuckled together and walked out of the kitchen and Bella couldn't help but be impressed by the woman's strength and resolve.

"Finally," Paul muttered as they brought the food in and served.

"Paul," Lisa admonished as she handed him his loaded plate. "You'd think you hadn't eaten in days the way you're acting!"

He glanced up at his mother as he shoved a big bite into his mouth, but didn't pause to explain. He was just too damn hungry. Bella came to his rescue though.

"That's because he hasn't Lisa," she said with a dark scowl on her face as she picked up her fork and cut a bite.

Lisa looked at her son in shock. "Sue didn't make sure you ate on the trip back?"

Again, Bella answered. "They drugged him to take him from my house and kept him that way the entire time until allowing him to wake up earlier today."

Lisa's fork clanked onto her plate as she shot to her feet. "Excuse me," she said tightly. "I have an ass to kick."

She spun and left the room as Paul smirked and continued eating. Charlie got up and followed with a sigh and Bella met Paul's eyes as he swallowed and took a drink of water.

She sighed. "She doesn't know the full story Paul. Don't you think she should before she beats the crap out of Sue Clearwater?"

His brows rose. "You think I'm gonna tell my mother about…" he leaned forward and lowered his voice. "…that I turn into a massive wolf?! he hissed. "No fuckin' way B!"

He went back to eating and Bella scowled. "She needs to know Paul. How else are you going to explain all the…weirdness?" she finished quietly as she stared down into her plate.

He tossed his fork down onto his empty plate and looked at her with hurt in his eyes. "Weirdness?" was all he said as he shot out of his seat.

Bella held out a hand to him. "Wait! I didn't mean…that came out wrong! You know I love you, no matter what!"

He was shaking now and she stood and went to him. "It was a poor choice of words Paul and I'm sorry," she said as she wound her arms around him and laid her cheek against his chest. "But it's only right and fair for her to know everything. Charlie knows and they are together. It's not fair to any of us to have her out of the loop. It'll drive a wedge between us all." She reached up and traced her fingers over his cheek and he closed his eyes as he calmed visibly.

"You're right," he breathed out with a resigned sigh. "Fuck, why? Why did this have to happen? Why couldn't my life be normal and happy for once?"

It was Bella's turn to feel hurt and she sucked in a breath as she took a step back. "You're not happy with me?" she questioned and his eyes went wide.

"Shit B, no, I didn't mean that about you," he said lowly as he pulled her close. "God Shorty, you're the only thing keeping me sane right now. You're the only bright spot left. You mean everything to me," he said as he kissed her head and rocked her side to side. "I love you B."

"I love you too Paul," she murmured against his chest.

Just then, a calmer Lisa and Charlie walked back in and took their seats so Bella and Paul retook theirs.

"All right," Lisa said resolutely as she met each gaze at the table in turn, ending with her son. "Tell me everything."

Paul looked stoic as he nodded. "Fine, I will, but can I get more to eat first?"

Charlie chuckled as he ate and Lisa smiled. "Sure kid. Get all you want, but you're not leaving here until I know everything."

"All right," he said as he loaded his plate again. "Just know, you asked for it."

When he was halfway through his second helping, he paused and asked. "So, you know all the legends that were told by the elders at the bonfires?"

His mother nodded, swallowed and wiped her mouth on her napkin. "Yes, I remember them, why?"

He shrugged, cut another big bite and answered. "They're all true," he stated flatly as he shoveled the bite in and chewed.

Lisa choked on her water. "Excuse me? Are you saying we have men who turn into wolves here on the rez? Paul…really now," she scoffed and rolled her eyes.

Paul cocked a brow and looked at Bella who raised both brows and rolled her hand in the air. "It's not an easy thing to believe Paul. You're gonna have to give her more than that."

He sighed and leaned back in his seat. "Fine. No Mom, I'm not saying there are men _somewhere_ on the rez who turn into wolves—I'm telling you that _I_ turn into a massive wolf as of earlier today." He leaned forward and continued eating.

Lisa scowled. "That's not funny son. Enough messing around. Tell me whatever it was Bella said was important."

Bella glanced over at Charlie who was watching the proceedings carefully. "Dad?"

Charlie sighed and dropped his head for a moment before looking back up at Lisa. "It's true Lis. We just attended a meeting of the elders before we got here this evening. Paul's telling the truth, and what's more, my daughter is his marked mate," he finished with a hint of distaste lacing his tone. "Billy Black said the tribe considers their bond more sacred than marriage."

By this time, Lisa had laid her fork aside and tossed her napkin in her plate as she stared at her fiancé. "Did they have you smoke something earlier? Because if so, I have more asses to kick than just Sue's!" she said as she stood.

Charlie grabbed her hand. "Lis? Please, sit?"

Paul finished up eating as he eyed his stunned mother warily. When he was through, he looked at Bella. "I knew this wouldn't be a good idea."

Bella looked up through her lashes. "Maybe…maybe you should just show her?" she said tentatively.

Paul sighed heavily and ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah, like I haven't had enough of turning into a giant animal for one day…fuck!"

"Paul!" Lisa said with a gasp.

He stood. "No, you know what? Believe it or don't. I really don't care at this point."

He turned and left the room and a few minutes later they heard the front door close heavily. Bella stood. "I'll go find him. It'll be fine."

She walked out and Lisa looked at Charlie. "It's true Charlie?" she asked, her voice now laced with fear.

He squeezed her hand. "Yeah Lis, it is and he's having a hell of a time with it. He was told today that he basically has to give up everything—college, his scholarship, baseball, his dreams of getting away from this reservation—everything that was important to him. He's trapped here now."

She covered her mouth as tears filled her eyes. "All that and I let him down by not believing…"

Charlie stood and pulled her into his arms. "Hey, when he cools off, he's gonna understand. It's just unbelievable and if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn't believe it either. He knows this and he'll be fine. Just give him a bit of time."

She nodded against him. "Yeah," she whispered. "That's the least I can do."

~o0o~

On her way out of the house, Bella grabbed a throw from the bench in the entry way. Nights tended to get chilly this close to the coast and though she knew Paul could keep her warm, she had no idea if he'd be in the mood to cuddle, so the blanket it was.

As she walked the trail toward the beach, she was grateful for the light of the nearly full moon, otherwise seeing would have been a challenge. God knew, she didn't need an injury on top of everything else, so she stepped carefully as she followed the tug she instinctively knew would lead her to Paul.

She found him leaning against a log in a small sandy alcove just off the main beach, looking sad and solemn as he stared out across the water.

"Hey," she said quietly. "Mind if I join you?"

He looked over at her and held out a hand. "Come 'ere Shorty," he said with a wan smile and she sighed in relief as she let him pull her into his lap.

"I was hoping you'd come find me," he murmured softly as he leaned down and kissed her neck.

"You were upset," she said as she ran her fingers through the soft inky strands of his hair. "I could never just leave you to that."

"I'm sorry for that B. I shouldn't have gotten pissed it's just…"

"Hey," she cut in. "You've had one hell of a day. If anyone is entitled to flip shits, it's you. No one blames you and when all of this sinks in for your mom, she's gonna understand too."

Gentle fingers under her chin tilted her head up and she felt his soft, full lips cover hers in a kiss as he laid her back on the blanket she'd brought. She opened to him when she felt his velvet tongue swipe her bottom lip and moaned as he deepened the kiss.

She hitched a leg over his hip and arched against him when his hand traveled up to squeeze her thigh.

"You're so fuckin' beautiful B," he mumbled against her chin as his hot kisses trailed down to her neck. "And mine," he said, his voice a low growl as his lust hooded eyes glowed amber in the shadows.

"Yours," she echoed as she tilted her head back to savor the feel of his heated kisses on her skin.

He settled against her fully and ground into her center with a groan. "I need you B. Need to be inside you…" he murmured as he stripped her of her shirt and bra.

She held his head against her as his hot mouth sucked in her nipple, the feel of it going straight to her center and soaking her panties with need.

He raised his head and breathed deeply with slightly flared nostrils as a growl rumbled deep in his chest. "Your scent…god, you get me so hard…"

He stood and stripped himself as Bella wiggled out of the rest of her clothes and reached a hand out for him when she laid back on the blanket. "Paul," she whispered as he watched her with that heated gaze. "Please…"

She didn't need to say anymore for in the next second, he moved to cover her with lethal grace. She couldn't help but think in that moment, there was no mistaking his otherness. He was just too beautiful, powerful and lithe to be mere human and it only served to make her love him more…want him more.

He settled between her welcoming thighs and wasted no time in entering her with a groan and a gasp as she clung to him. They both felt it; this was something more…more than a mere joining of bodies and as they stared into each others eyes, tears traced into her hair from them both, as they were joyfully overwhelmed with it.

He pulled his hips back and surged froward as he held her close, the two so close they shared the same breath as they climbed steadily higher and their souls joined fully, once and for all.

"Paul," she whispered against his lips… "Bella," he answered just as reverently as his body loved hers…pleasured hers…mastered hers.

They came together, both spiraling up, up and out as a glow danced and shimmered around them while they sealed their love with a kiss.

He drew back to see her as his fingers traced her face. "Forever my Bella," he said and she smiled through her tears.

"Forever my Paul…my silver wolf," she affirmed.

And so, wrapped together in the moonlight, they fell into slumber, their hearts beating in sync as they would for the rest of their days.

**Your thoughts? Let me hear from you!**

**Review please, and my sincere thanks to all who do!**

**'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and any original characters therein. No copyright infringement intended.

A/N: Hi all! Again, my thanks to you all! Special shout out to those who review as a guest since I never get to answer you personally. I read and love them all. You guys really keep me going. ~Spudz

* * *

~ Jambi ~

Dim my eyes  
If they should compromise  
Our fulcrum  
Wants and needs divide me

then I might as well be gone.

~o0o~

Chapter 12

Bella awoke with a bit of a start as she cracked an eye and stared at the night-stand next to her bed…at Charlie's.

She rolled over with a stretch and a sigh, just remembering the night before in that little alcove. She smiled. It had been perfect…

Thankfully, Paul had woken her after they'd slept for an hour, otherwise she could just picture the fallout of Charlie finding them as they'd been. _'Yeah,'_ she thought. _'That would have been bad…worth it, but bad.'_

As it was, Charlie gave her 'the eye' when they'd made it back to the house. She'd ignored it. She wasn't going to apologize or make excuses. She was mature enough to manage her own affairs; she'd been doing so for years now anyway and it wasn't as though she and Paul were merely messing around. They were serious, and Charlie would just have to accept it.

Rising from her bed, she walked to the window and pulled back the drape, only to be pleased and surprised by the sunlight that streamed in. "Awesome," she muttered with a smile. A clear sky was a rare thing here in rainy Forks, so she turned, grabbed her stuff and headed for the bathroom to get ready for the day. She didn't want to waste good weather.

When she was dressed and had straightened her room, she headed down stairs and into the kitchen where she could hear Charlie running water in the sink. "Hey Dad," she greeted as she walked in and grabbed a cup from the cupboard.

"Mornin' Bells. Did you sleep well? The new bed okay?"

"Yeah," she said with a smile as she poured a cup of coffee. "It's great, thanks. Better than the one I had at Renee's."

He folded the newspaper over and gestured to his breakfast. "There's more on the stove if you're hungry. I wasn't sure when you'd be down, but I made plenty just in case."

She smiled and grabbed a plate. "Thanks Dad. I'm used to fending for myself for meals, so this is a treat," she said as she helped a plate with scrambled eggs and bacon.

Charlie smirked but tried to hide it as he took a sip of coffee. "Yeah, your mother was never a whiz in the kitchen."

Bella paused with her fork in mid-air. "Understating, but yeah," she muttered as she took a bite while Charlie chuckled.

She eyed him surreptitiously for a few minutes while they both ate quietly, wondering how he was really taking all that had happened the day before. He seemed fine, but she and Charlie were alike in many ways, so she knew he was still processing in his own way. He'd speak when he was ready, she knew.

"So," he said when she'd finished and set her fork on the plate. "You and Paul…it's uh…" He sighed and ran a hand over his face. "Damn, how do I approach this?" he muttered and she chuckled as she sipped her coffee and watched him struggle for a moment with one brow arched.

When he glanced at her with stress plain on his face, she decided to let him off the hook. "I've had 'the talk' already Dad. I've been on the Depo shot for a year now. That's birth control." Charlie choked on his coffee and she smirked. "It's great. Pretty much eliminates my periods…"

He cut her off with a raised hand. "Ah! Just…yeah, okay, good."

The ringing house phone came to his rescue and he answered it looking a bit relieved. "Swan residence." He raised a brow as he listened and chuckled. "The rumors are true. She's right here. I'll put her on."

He handed Bella the phone. "I need to get to work. I'll see ya later kid."

Bella held her hand over the receiver. "Okay Dad, have a good one."

When he walked out, she put the phone to her ear. "Hello?"

"Bella!" a voice she hadn't heard in so long squealed into the phone.

"Holy shit! Ange? Is that you?!" she asked as she sat back with a wide smile. She and Angela had been best friends every summer for her whole life until she'd stopped visiting Forks.

"Yes! Gosh, I can't believe you're here! I'd heard you were going to come live with your Dad, but I wasn't gonna believe it 'till I saw it. I'm so glad it's true though!" The tone of her voice changed as she continued. "Why didn't you call me though?"

Bella sighed, feeling like a bit of a heel. "Sorry for that Ange, I've just been really busy," she hedged. There must have been something about the tone of her voice because Angela pounced.

"Tell me," she said in a tone that brooked no argument.

Bella laughed lightly. "Tell you what, why don't we meet at the diner for a coffee or something and I'll tell you all about him? You know how I hate talking on the phone."

"Sounds perfect! My boyfriend's out of town for the day so I'm totally yours."

Bella's brows crept up. "Boyfriend? Anyone I would know?"

Angela laughed. "No, he's kinda new to the area, but I'll tell you about that at the diner. You show me yours, I'll show you mine and all that."

"Sounds fair," Bella answered with a chuckle. "Potentially kinky, but fair."

"Potentially what?" Angela asked, sounding confused and Bella rubbed her forehead. She'd forgotten how sheltered Angela was. Sarcasm always went right over the girl's head.

"Never mind Ange. It wasn't important. So, I'll see you in fifteen?"

"Yep, I'll be there Bells! Bye!"

"Bye Ange," Bella said as she stood and hung up the phone. She stared at the thing with a sigh and a cringe. The call had reminded her she'd yet to call Rudy…or return any of his many texts. He was gonna kill her.

With that thought, she quickly cleaned up the kitchen and headed up stairs for her bag and phone. She'd call him on the walk to the diner. She had plenty of time to kill today since Paul had said he wanted to speak to Sam so Angela had perfect timing.

After locking up the house, she headed down the street and pulled out her phone. Hitting Rudy's contact, she cringed and held it to her ear.

"Yo," he answered in his usual Rudy fashion.

"Hey Rudy, it's Bella."

"Bella who?" he asked in exaggerated curiosity. "I once knew a Bella," he continued, sounding nostalgic. "Sweet girl, considerate, but this can't possibly be her 'cause the girl I'm speaking to now doesn't bother returning calls or texts."

"Rudyyyy," she groaned. "I'm so sorry, but things have been so crazy, you just wouldn't believe it. Just know that Paul is okay and we're doing fine and I really am sorry for not getting back to you until now."

She heard him sigh. "Shit…I just can't manage to stay mad at you B."

"Good," she said with a smile. "So how are you? Things okay?"

"Yeah, you know, same shit, different day. Not much excitement around here. My girlfriend dumped me, so there's that."

She gasped. "Shit D, that sucks, I'm sorry."

"Meh," he said, sounding nonchalant. "It's all good B. She was turning into a major harpy, ya know? I'm relieved to be honest. So enough about me…Paulie's really okay? Not sick anymore?"

She hesitated, unsure as to how much she could or should share with him. "Well, no, he's not sick anymore."

"Great. So, he's probably busy getting ready for school, huh?"

She grimaced because there was no way she could keep this secret, but she wasn't sure what reason to give for him giving up something he'd worked so hard for. There was just no way Rudy was gonna buy a bullshit story on it. "Well," she drawled, and decided to just dive in and tell him what she could. He'd just have to be satisfied with that. "He's not going D. He can't. He has to stay on the rez."

"What?!" he yelled in her ear. "There's just no fuckin' way B! What the fuck is going on and don't BS me."

"I can't say D. It's not my story to tell," she said apologetically.

"Not your story," he muttered, sounding pissed. "He's like my little brother B and that scholarship meant the world to him. He can't possibly be okay with this and I can't imagine what would convince him to give it up…unless…oh fuck, you're knocked up!"

She bristled instantly. "So it's gotta be my fault? Is that it? Well, you're wrong, okay? I'm not…" she looked around for listening ears as she got close to the diner and continued in a lower tone, "…knocked up!"

He sighed down the line. "Sorry B. I didn't mean that the way it sounded, but it was the only thing…_you're_ the only thing that I could see him giving up his dreams for. I know he loves you that much."

Her anger deflated as her heart ached. How she wished the reason was so simple because then she could just kick his ass and make him see reason. As things were, there was nothing she could do. "I hear ya D, and I almost wish that was the reason, but it's not. It really has nothing to do with me but like I said…"

"Yeah," he cut in. "It's not your story."

She got to the diner door and could see Ange sitting in a booth. "D? I need to go. I'm meeting a friend, but I'll tell Paul to call you when I talk to him later, okay?"

"Okay B. Take care of yourself and take care of Paulie. Talk to ya later."

"Bye D," she said and pocketed her phone as she walked into the diner.

Angela saw her and hopped up to hug her. "Bella!" she chirped with a sunny grin as they both took seats. "Did you walk?"

"Yep," she answered as she took out her phone and set it on the table. "No car yet, but I hope to get one before school starts. God knows I don't relish the thought of showing up in Charlie's cruiser, ya know?"

"You should have told me! I would have picked you up instead."

Bella shook her head and took a sip of the ice-water that was already on the table. "Nah, I needed to make a phone call anyway and walking gave me time to do that."

"Well, if you don't get a car before school starts, I'd be happy to give you a ride…or…" Bella watched with interest as Angela blushed. "…Edward and I could give you a ride." She shrugged a shoulder. "He started insisting on driving me to school for the last couple of months of the year last year. He might continue this year, but I'm not sure."

Bella's brows inched up and a grin curved her lips. "Edward?" she questioned in a sing-song tone and laughed as Angela's blush deepened as she rolled her eyes.

"Okay, enough fun at my expense."

"Oh no," Bella said with a smirk before taking a sip of her water. "You must elaborate on this Edward person. So, go ahead," she sat back and crossed her arms atop the table. "Tell me all about him."

Angela looked down and smiled softly before meeting Bella's gaze. "Well, he's…" she sighed. "…perfect really. He's just so handsome, and such a gentleman and he treats me like such a lady. He's just amazing." She smiled widely. "The best thing is my parents just love him which makes dating much easier. I think it's his old fashioned manner that won them over."

Bella sat back and took in her completely smitten friend before finally speaking. "Wow. I can't wait to meet him."

Angela smiled. "I can't wait for you to meet him. He's…well, he's pretty important to me."

The waitress walked up and handed them menus. "Can I get you girls something to drink while you decide?"

Bella laid down her menu. "I'm just gonna have a large mocha latte please."

The lady wrote it down and glanced up. "Whipped cream on that?" she questioned and Bella grinned.

"That's the best part!"

The waitress chuckled. "It sure is hun." She turned to Angela. "And for you sweetie?"

Angela set her menu aside. "I'll have the same please, but hold the whipped cream."

"You got it hun. I'll be back in a jiff." She grabbed the menus and disappeared into the kitchen as Bella focused back on their conversation.

"So, that sounds like things are pretty serious."

Angela sipped her water and nodded. "They are Bella," she murmured as she met her eyes. "He's told me he loves me and I think I'm ready to tell him the same."

Bella reached across the table and squeezed Angela's hand. "Then I'm happy for you! Finding that one special _'one_' is pretty awesome isn't it?" She sat back and the waitress brought their drinks. They both thanked her and she left them to it with a "Just wave me down if ya need me!" tossed back over a shoulder.

Angela gently blew on hers and took a sip before glancing up at Bella who was busy sampling the pile of whipped cream atop hers. "So, by what you just said, is it safe to assume you've also found _'the one'_?"

Bella set her spoon down and smiled. "Yeah, I most definitely have. I have a pic on my phone of him, you wanna see it?"

"Of course!" Angela said as she held out a hand for the phone.

Bella scrolled through and found it before handing it over.

"Oh my god Bells," she said with widened eyes as she stared at it. She looked up. "He's beyond gorgeous."

Bella grinned. "I know," she said a bit smugly as she took a sip of her drink. She set it back down and continued as Angela set her phone down. "His name is Paul and we met in Arizona, but the most amazing part is that he actually lives here in La Push. He was visiting cousins when we met. He's a year older and graduated last year."

"What a weird and awesome coincidence," Angela said with a smile.

"That's not the half of it," Bella muttered with a chuckle. "My Dad is engaged to marry Paul's mom and has known Paul since he was fourteen. We didn't realize any of this until after we'd developed feelings for each other."

Angela's eyes were comically wide. "Gosh, it's almost like you two were fated to meet and be together!"

Bella was a bit struck by her statement as she'd never really thought about it that way before, but she had to admit, Ange was right. It did seem that they were destined to meet at some point or another. The thought made her smile as she murmured, "Yeah, I guess we were."

Angela's ringing phone interrupted their conversation and she pulled it out and answered. "Edward, hi! No, no, you're not interrupting. I'm just at the diner catching up with Bella, you remember I told you about her? Yeah, my best friend…that's the one." She leaned over and glanced up at the sky that was rapidly darkening with clouds and she smiled. "Of course I don't mind! Bella said she wanted to meet you so this is great! It'll be nice for her to know more people when school starts up anyway. Great, see you in a bit!"

She set her phone down and looked at Bella who was stirring the cream into her latte. "That was Edward. His day trip was cut short since the weather is getting bad so he and his sister Alice are coming by the diner. They're on the road and will be here in a few minutes. Is that okay?"

"Sure!" Bella answered with a nod and a smile. "At least I won't have to wait to meet your Mr. Wonderful." She smirked and Angela tossed a piece of napkin at her.

"Remind me to tease you when it's time for me to meet your Mr. Wonderful," she laughed as Bella threw the piece of napkin back at her.

"Hey!" Bella defended. "I'm only lookin' out for my sweet, innocent friend. Gotta make sure he's good enough." She grabbed her phone as it buzzed with a text.

_"Hey Shorty, love you, miss you, can't wait to see you. -P"_

She quickly tapped out a reply. _"All of those and more back at you. Text or call when you're free. -B"_

Angela grinned as Bella set the phone down and looked at her friend. "Paul?" she questioned.

"Yeah," Bella said with a smile. "Just checking in."

The bell over the door jangled and Angela waved with a smile at a young looking guy and girl. Bella's eyes went a bit wide at the site of them. They were…ethereal was the only word that came to mind and her breath caught at they stopped at their table. The boy had a crooked smile on his face as his uniquely colored eyes locked on her friend but the girl, who was shorter than Bella fairly bounced in place with a wide grin.

Angela stood and the boy pulled her into what seemed to be a very gentle hug. "Hi Edward," she breathed.

"Hello Love," he answered as he stepped back and took her hand as his attention shifted to Bella.

"This is my best friend from childhood, Bella Swan," Angela introduced.

Edward held out his hand. "Hello, it's nice to finally meet you. I'm Edward Cullen and this is my sister Alice."

The shock of his icy cold skin had just registered in her brain when the reality of his last name put the final nail in the coffin of her uncertainty and she yanked her hand back quickly. She met his eyes and he looked curious as he apologized. "Sorry, I was holding a cold drink in the car. I guess my hand's still a bit cold."

The short girl, Alice, leaned over and gave her a quick hug. "Hi Bella! It's so nice to finally meet you! We're all going to be such great friends! I can't wait!" she enthused as she slid in next to Bella while Edward sat next to a smiling Angela.

Meanwhile, seemingly without being noticed, Bella's mind whirled. _'Vampires!'_ she screamed mentally. _'I'm sitting next to vampires!'_ She was panicking inside but fighting it. She had no idea what they would do if they found out she knew, so she fought with everything she had to keep a level head. Still her thoughts screamed on. _'Oh god…my best friend is in LOVE with a damn vampire!'_ She looked at Ange as she smiled into his eyes and clung to his arm as they spoke lowly. _'Does she even know?! Oh god, what do I do?'_

"So Bella," Alice chirped brightly. "You're going to Forks High right?"

"Yea…" she cleared her throat and tried again. "Yes, that's the plan."

Angela grinned. "I really hope we have a lot of classes together. You taking AP courses Bells?"

Bella wrapped her shaking hands around her cup to still them as she answered. "Yeah, I am. Well, at least biology, history, math, and english." She picked up her cup and took a sip.

Alice bounced. "There aren't that many offered so I bet we have all of them together! Won't that be great?"

Angela nodded and Edward chuckled, but Bella could see him watching her curiously for some reason and it sent a shiver down her spine. It made her long for Paul and at that moment, her phone buzzed with a call.

"Excuse me," she murmured as she grabbed her phone and answered. "Hello?" Her voice was weak even to her own ears as she stared down into her lap.

"Bella, what's wrong baby? I can feel you…I know something's wrong," he rushed out with worry lacing his tone.

Her heart lurched at the thought of him coming here and facing these beings and she tried to smile as she lied. "Nothing baby. I just got startled for a moment. It was stupid, but I'm fine now."

"Jesus B…" he breathed out. "Why do I still feel like you're in danger? Who are you with?"

She looked up and out the window. "Um, still at the diner with Ange. I'm probably gonna head home in a few minutes though. Try to get there before it decides to rain."

She heard an actual low growl from him. "Fuck! I can't shake this feeling B. Just…just stay there and I'll get my truck and come get you."

"No!" she almost shouted before getting a hold of herself. Her hand shook as she took a breath to hopefully calm herself. "No Paul, really, it's fine. Ange can give me a ride if it starts raining and I'll just see you tonight for dinner? Really, I have some stuff to do at home, and if you're there, I probably won't get any of it done. Just trust me? Please?"

She glanced up and watched as Angela kissed Edward sweetly with a giggle and looked back out the window as she heard Paul sigh. "I do trust you Shorty, but god this hurts," he murmured. "Guess I'll go for a run and try to work through it. I love you. Call me if you need me."

"I will," she said as guilt pierced her for lying, no matter that it was to keep him safe. "I love you too." She ended the call and Angela smiled at her.

"Paul, huh?"

Bella nodded and took another drink of her latte. "Yeah, he's worried about me walking and getting caught in the rain, but I told him you'd give me a ride home."

"Of course! Be happy to."

Alice spoke up then. "Edward, don't we go right by Chief Swan's house on our way home? We could take her so that Angela wouldn't be put out."

Angela began to protest but Edward grasped her chin gently and met her eyes as he spoke. "Shh Love, it's true and we would love to take your friend home. You need to get home anyway. Weren't you supposed to watch your brothers for your mom this afternoon?"

Angela gasped as she looked at her watch. "Oh my gosh! Yes! And I'm almost late!" She shot a pleading look at Bella. "I'm so sorry, but do you mind? I really need to rush!"

Bella's heart sank and her stomach felt made of lead, but she smiled through it with a nod. "I don't mind. Go ahead. I'll be fine."

Angela started to get her wallet out of her purse when Edward laid a hand on her arm. "Just go Love. I'll get this and I don't want you speeding on the way home. Be safe and I'll call you later."

She smiled and nodded as she made her way to the door where she called back, "Bye Bells! I'll call you later!" before rushing out the door.

Bella eyed the vampires she was left with and pushed her cup away. "Well, I guess I should be going too. I really need to get home. Thanks for the offer of a ride, but I really think I can make it home before it rains."

Alice didn't budge and Edward smiled but looked puzzled. "We insist Bella. I can't very well leave Angela's best friend to the elements. I am a bit curious though because you seem unusually nervous for some reason. Have we done something to make you so?"

"What?" Bella tried to laugh it off as her heart took flight. "No, of course not. We just met. What could you have done to make me nervous?" She picked up her water glass and took a drink as Edward smiled.

"Yes, what indeed?" he murmured.

"Shut up Edward, you're making things worse," Alice said quietly and she laid a gentle hand on Bella's arm as she met her eyes with a calm, sincere gaze. "We're not going to hurt you Bella. We're not like that. I really do want to be your friend and not only because of Angela. Please, believe me?"

Bella studied the petite female beside her for moments as her heart slowly calmed. Although she couldn't say she trusted them, she was convinced enough to nod and answer. "I believe you."

"Great," Alice said with a small smile. "Now how about that ride home?"

Before she could answer, the bell over the door jangled and both vampires at the table tensed visibly just as two massive Quileute stepped up.

Bella had to admit, she never thought she'd see the day when she was relieved to see the asshole, but today was that day, especially when he crossed his arms over his chest and said lowly as his lip curled, "We'll be taking Bella home, thanks anyway."

**More set up for the future! **

**Lots more still to go.**

**This is going to be a long story**

**Your thoughts? Let me know if I'm not keeping it interesting!**

**Please review!**

**'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and any original characters therein. No copyright infringement intended.

A/N: Hi all. Let me apologize for the shortness of this chapter. As many do, I battle clinical depression and today is a bad day, but I managed to get this much down for you. I hope it's enjoyable and not too dark, but as is often the case with me, my writing reflects my mood. Just know that it will pass. That's how I handle it anyway. Thanks for your understanding and love to you all. ~Spudz

* * *

~o0o~

Chapter 13

Bella glanced over at Edward and was shocked at the change in his features. Gone was the visage of a congenial young gentleman and in its place was something that could only be termed as deadly looking. _'Shit,'_ she thought. _'He looks...like a monster!'_

His eyes were completely black and his jaw tense as he held up both hands in a conciliatory manner. "Not a problem," he ground out through his obvious tension. "We were more than happy to take her home, but if you insist, then be my guest."

Sam's lip curled in a silent snarl as his gaze shifted between the two vampires. "Oh, I insist all right." The next words Sam said were hissed so lowly, Bella almost missed them…almost. "You're just lucky her mate isn't here leech. He'd tear your ass to pieces and there's nothing I could do to stop him, not that I would want to."

"We haven't done anything and we weren't going to do anything," Alice said calmly as she met the massive Alpha's hostile, dark gaze. "We'd like to be her friend. We would never hurt her."

Bella cleared her throat and muttered, "Let me out of the booth please Alice."

Alice stared at the two Quileute as she answered. "Of course Bella, just as soon as these two step aside so I may stand."

They stepped back instantly and Alice rose from her seat, allowing Bella to slide out. As soon as she was up, Jared pulled her against his chest, with a protective arm around her shoulders. He rubbed her arm in comfort when he felt her tremble and she sagged against him in relief.

Alice sat back down and Sam stepped forward again to speak quietly. "Stay away from her. She is our brother's marked and bonded mate. That makes her one of our people and we will protect her aggressively if need be."

Edward's dark gaze settled on his sister's for a moment and he gave the barest nod before looking at Sam. "I understand your reasoning, but it's up to her if she would like to form friendships with us. Her best friend is my mate and I will not try to end their friendship. Neither will I avoid my mate, so concessions will need to be made. We're always available to meet and talk. You have Carlisle's number."

"I do," Sam stated. "Tell him to expect a call." Sam turned to leave but Bella spoke up. "Wait please. I have a question." Sam nodded and stepped back so Bella could see Edward. She stayed tucked into Jared's hold and met Edward's eyes. Keeping her voice low, she asked, "Does Angela know what you are?"

Something she could only liken to regret flashed across his features before he shook his head slowly. "No," he murmured, "...she doesn't."

"Are you ever going to tell her?"

Edward and Alice spoke simultaneously. Edward said no while Alice said yes as they stared each other down.

"Well, that's clear as mud," Bella muttered.

""It's…complicated," Edward murmured, a frown creasing his brow as he looked away.

Bella shook her head with a frown. "She loves you and deserves to know. You need to tell her."

Edward pinched the bridge of his nose as he muttered, "I love her too, and I know I need to tell her but...I don't know how."

Sam scoffed before speaking. "I suggest you figure it out before we meet. Until then, remember the treaty."

Edward nodded and it struck Bella that he looked defeated and sad now; nothing like the dangerous creature from just minutes ago. "How could I forget?" he asked, bitterness lacing his tone as Alice shook her head sadly.

Sam strode away and Jared kept Bella in his surprisingly comforting hold as he followed the Alpha to a huge truck parked around the side of the building. He helped her into the cab and got in after her as Sam slid in behind the wheel and started the truck.

Bella covered her face with her hands and realized only then that she was crying as she dropped her head and tried to get control of her emotions.

She felt a hand stroke her hair gently and realized with shock that it was Sam when he spoke, his tone surprisingly soft. "It's all right Bella. You're safe now. I'm going to take you to Paul. With the way you're feeling right now, he's probably ready to tear apart the entire town of Forks to get to you."

She only nodded and he pulled out onto the road. It took her a few minutes, but she finally stopped crying and sat up as she dried her tears. "How did you guys know I was there?" she questioned when she could finally speak.

Jared glanced at her and shrugged. "We didn't. We were gonna grab some lunch, but as soon as we got out of the truck we smelled you and the leeches. Then we heard what they were saying about giving you a ride."

Sam growled lowly as he gripped the wheel and Bella glanced between the two shifters. "Well, thank you," she murmured softly. "You didn't have to step in, but I'm glad you did."

"You're wrong Bella," Sam said forcefully as he glanced at her. "I meant what I said to the leech. You're a part of us now; Quileute by the Spirits' choosing. That's not something we take lightly."

She stared down at her lap and tried to take in the enormity of what that meant. She was awed by it when it finally sank in. "Thank you," she murmured quietly as she looked at Sam.

To her shock, she watched as a grin quirked his lips a moment before he spoke. "Let a leech fuck with the five-foot-nothing girl who stood up to me, slapped me and called me a class A asshole?" He chuckled. "Not in this lifetime little sister…no fuckin' way."

Jared chuckled and Bella looked between them with a shake of her head before laughing too.

When they finally pulled around and parked at the back of Paul's house, Jared barely got out of the way in time to avoid being bowled over by Paul as he grabbed Bella from the truck. Once she was in his arms, she realized he was shaking. "Why do you smell like leech?" he growled as he buried his face in her hair.

She wrapped herself around him and played her fingers through his hair as she spoke. "I was at the diner with Ange when her boyfriend got there to see her." She drew back to meet those beautiful eyes. "She's dating a Cullen."

He tensed and his shaking worsened and more quickly than she could register, she was in Jared's arms, feet away as Paul phased.

Sam phased a second later and stood off to the side as he kept a careful watch.

Bella caught her breath and patted Jared's arm. "It's okay Jared," she said softly as her gaze locked with that of her silver wolf. "He won't hurt me."

He let her go but protested anyway. "I don't know Bella, you still stink like leech. I don't think it's a good idea."

She shook her head as she walked forward, never breaking eye contact with her wolf. When she got to him, he growled and made a snuffling, sneezing noise as he shook his head. "Paul," she said lowly, "…come back to me? Change back?"

He growled and pushed her toward an area of ground covered in leaves as she protested. "Paul, what…" her words cut off when she almost tripped as he nudged her and growled. "What are you doing?"

When she reached the leaves, he shoved once more and she fell down into them with a cry of outrage as she glared at him. "What the hell?" She struggled against his muzzle as he pushed against her, but froze when she felt his teeth at her mark. She laid still and he held her there for moments, never breaking skin or hurting her. When she finally relaxed, he let go and backed away, where she watched with surprise as he phased back.

She sat up and held out a hand to him, but before she could say a word, he spoke. "You lied to me. Worse than that, you asked me to trust you and then used that trust against me. Why did you do that? How could you have done that?"

Any words she had ready got stuck in her throat at the pain she could see in his eyes and feel through their bond. She choked on it as she looked around frantically for Sam and Jared. She thought maybe they could help her explain, but they had disappeared. She was on her own.

After swallowing down the tears that choked her, she spoke. "I did that because I didn't want you coming there and getting hurt." She looked up to see his face twisted in anger and pain.

"Really Bella? You're going with the martyr excuse? Like what you did was noble? What about trust? What you did tells me you don't trust me to know how to handle a situation. You don't trust me to be able to fight for you and win. You don't trust me with the truth. It tells me you just don't trust me!" he finished in a yell as she cringed with fresh tears wetting her cheeks

"I'm s—sorry!" she sobbed, still reaching for him. "I'm just so used to depending on myself…I've had to pr—practically my whole life…and I panicked…I wasn't thinking, b—but one thing filled my mind and that was terror for you! I just wa—wanted you to be s—safe!" she stuttered through her tears.

His face closed off as he replied. "The one function that's left to me and you want to insulate me from it?" His voice gained volume as he continued. "The ONE function I'm cursed to perform and you think you can fuckin' SAVE me from it?!" He rushed forward and she gasped as he pushed her down in the leaves pinning her with his body. He slowly ran his nose from the cleavage of her shirt up to her ear and growled lowly, "I am an Alpha." He dipped his head down and her breath heaved as he nipped her mark. "Do you understand that?"

She stared at him with wide eyes as she nodded slowly and gasped as he nipped her mark again, a little harder this time. "I don't think you do…" he said in a gritty voice against her skin. She watched as his head slowly raised and those glowing amber eyes met hers as he continued, "No," he ground out slowly. "…you don't understand at all…

...but you will."

**Your thoughts? Please review!**

**'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and any original characters therein. No copyright infringement intended.

A/N: Hi all! I'm doing better now. Thanks for the well wishes and words of support. They helped more than you'll ever know. There is citrus ahead and I must state this material is not intended for minors. As always, thanks so much for the reviews! Y'all keep me going! ~Spudz

* * *

_Previously:_

_He growled lowly, "I am an Alpha." He dipped his head down and her breath heaved as he nipped her mark. "Do you understand that?"_

_She stared at him with wide eyes as she nodded slowly and gasped as he nipped her mark again, a little harder this time. "I don't think you do…" he said in a gritty voice against her skin. She watched as his head slowly raised and those glowing amber eyes met hers as he continued, "No," he ground out slowly. "…you don't understand at all…but you will."_

* * *

**Chapter 14**

He reached down, grabbed the bottom of her shirt and quickly stripped her of it as she gasped.

"Paul?" she questioned as he stripped her of her bra next. "Out here? It's the middle of the day!" she said as she crossed her arms over her breasts. He simply growled and stripped her of her pants and panties, taking her shoes and socks off with everything which he tossed to the side.

She yelped as he turned her onto her hands and knees and her breath hitched at the feel of his body, hot and hard against hers, as his lips left a trail of sultry kisses on the back of her neck and shoulder.

Her head dropped and she moaned, pushing back into him as one of his hands cupped and squeezed her breast. She could feel herself becoming wet now and she wanted him.

A cry left her lips as he rolled and pinched her nipple while sucking and licking her mark and she pushed back again, becoming frustrated. She needed more, so she dropped from his hold and rolled over as she reached for him. What she didn't expect was him to snarl, flip her back over, hold her down with one hand and enter her in one hard thrust.

"Oh god," she moaned as he let go of her and ran his hands down to grip her hips as his thrusts picked up strength. "Paul…oh god…" she groaned with a toss of her head as she rocked back into him.

He leaned over her, trailing heated kisses across her neck and shoulders as he held her close and pounded into her. "Bella," he murmured against her skin, "I love you so fuckin' much," he said, his voice tight with tears "…why don't you trust me?" he growled in question. He clenched his jaw and tucked his face into her neck as two tears traced down his cheeks. "I need you to trust me…you, of all people…why Bella?"

He raised up on his knees and drew her up flush to his chest as his thrusts continued and she turned her face to see him. When their eyes met, he could see that her eyes were wet too and he took her mouth in a heated kiss as his strokes slowed but strengthened. She rolled her head back onto his shoulder and moaned.

"Paul, I love you," she breathed. "…and I trust you, I do."

"Then show me," he whispered, "…by never doing that again."

His left hand caressed her breast and he rolled her nipple between his thumb and fingers. His right hand trailed down her body to her center where he circled her slick bud as he fucked her hard and deep. "God you feel so good wrapped around my cock," he mumbled against her shoulder between slow, steady strokes.

She moaned lowly and panted against his cheek. He felt so good to her, all lean, hot muscle holding her tightly… He was getting so deep, hitting just the right angle and her orgasm built quickly. "Oh fuck…Paul…I'm gonna…Mmmm…" she moaned as she peaked and shattered.

"Oh jesus baby…" he groaned as she rhythmically squeezed his plunging cock. He growled as he felt his completion take him and he moved her hair from her neck. His eyes glowed amber and he bit down on the wolf's mark. As he filled her, she gasped and came again from the marking.

When they'd both recovered, he slid from her body as he turned her and lifted her in his arms. Her head rested on his shoulder and she raised her hand to his cheek. "You are everything to me," she told him as he carried her into the empty house. "Never think otherwise."

He stared down at her for a moment before leaning down to kiss her lips. "I believe you," he said as he entered his bathroom and flipped on the shower. He set her on her feet and she wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Paul?" she said as she laid her head against his chest.

"Yeah?" he replied quietly as he combed his fingers through her messy hair.

"I'm sorry," she murmured as she placed a kiss over his heart. "I really wasn't thinking about anything but you being hurt. I didn't think what I did would hurt you in any way. I didn't mean for that to happen."

He clenched his eyes shut and kissed her head. "I felt so much fear from you the whole time you were with them Bella…I nearly lost it and went to find you anyway. I knew…I _knew_ something was wrong, but… you asked me to trust you…"

Her head snapped up and she met his eyes as she cut him off. "I swear to you Paul…I'll never do that again. I see your point and I was wrong to do that." She cupped his cheek. "Can you forgive me?"

His gaze held hers for a moment, full of so much love it nearly left her breathless. Then he answered. "There isn't a question B. I love you. Of course I forgive you, but baby, in all this crazy shit…you're all I have to count on and I hope…I really hope I'm that for you too. I wanna be that for you."

She laid her head back against his chest. "You are Paul. You are."

He held her close for a moment before speaking. "C'mon, the water's hot. Let's get cleaned up. Can't have Charlie seein' you like this." He smirked at her and she glanced in the mirror.

"Holy shit…" she groaned. "I look like hell." There were leaves and twigs all in her hair and she looked like she'd rolled in dirt, but so did Paul. She finally laughed as he stepped into the shower and held out a hand to her. "We both look like cave dwellers," she said as she took his hand.

He smirked and pulled her in against him under the water. "Unga bunga," he joked and she pinched his nipple.

"Ass," she chuckled as he hissed and rubbed his chest. "And here I thought you were house-broken…"

He groaned and tilted his head back. "And the dog jokes begin…I had wondered when…"

"Hey, we have to get some laughs out of this, right?" she questioned as she pulled the debris from her hair.

He soaped himself up as he watched her toss leaves and twigs on the shower floor. "Look at the mess you're making," he said as he stepped under the spray to rinse and she glared at him.

"Who's fault is that captain caveman? You're the one who just had to roll me on the ground, remember?"

"Yeah so?" he commented with a shrug as he lathered his hair. "You reeked like leech. I'd rather mask it with dirt and leaves…"

She cocked a brow. "They really stink that bad to you?"

He scoffed as he moved her under the water and began washing her hair. "Like sweet, rotting, rotten-dead something…fuck, I could gag just thinking about it."

"Gross," she said with a wrinkled nose then she moaned and closed her eyes as his fingers worked the shampoo through to her scalp. "Damn, that feels…mmm, I could stand here all day while you do that."

He moved closer and she could feel his hard cock against her ass. "You keep making those sounds and I'm gonna be doing something else very soon."

She smirked over her shoulder. "At least you chose a cleaner venue this time."

He nudged her under the spray to rinse. "You didn't like forest sex?"

She reached back and stroked him firmly. "I didn't say that. I'm kinda partial to you all hot and hard behind me." She wiggled her butt against him. "Then again," she turned in his arms and kissed him, "I think I prefer watching you when you fuck me."

"That's it," was all he said and he lifted her, pinned her against the wall and entered her as she gasped and smiled.

Gripping his shoulders, she kissed his neck as he stroked into her slowly. "C'mon Lofty," she whispered. "…fuck me like ya mean it."

"Yeah?" he asked with a cocky smirk.

"Yeah," she answered with a challenge in her eyes.

"Hang on to me baby, and don't let go," he said as he held her up with one hand under her ass and one hand against the shower wall.

"Ahhh!' she cried out as he all but slammed into her. "Fuck! Just like that!" she cried. "Don't you dare stop!"

"No problems there baby," he huffed out as his hips surged forward again and again, driving her back against the slick tiles as she hung on to his shoulders desperately.

His lips covered hers in a deep kiss and when he ended it, she panted into his mouth as the tension in her center built rapidly. Just the feeling of him…in her…on her…all around her, was driving all coherent thought from her head and she looked down between them to watch as his slick, hard cock disappeared into her body time and again… "Oh jesus Paul…I'm gonna come!"

"That's it baby," he panted. "Come on my cock… Fuck!" he shouted as he gave her four more deep thrusts and came as he tucked his face against her neck.

When they'd caught their breath, she laughed and kissed his cheek as he let her slide back down to her feet. "Damn…that was…" She shook her head as she stood under the cooling spray.

"Yeah," he smirked. "It was."

He turned off the water and handed Bella a towel before wrapping one around his waist. "Come on, I'll grab some clothes from my mom for you since yours are still outside."

"Oh god, that's right!" She looked at him with wide eyes. "I need to pick those up before someone, namely Charlie or your mom, sees them."

He rummaged through drawers in his mother's room, grabbing some jeans and a shirt for her before turning back to her with a grin. "Well, they're kinda outta the way, so they probably won't see 'em, but yeah, that could be bad."

Bella took the clothes from him and marched back to his room to dress. "Ya think?" she asked over her shoulder. "I mean, they're not stupid…they know what's going on, but I'd rather not flaunt it, ya know?"

She yelped and nearly fell over when he pinched her ass as she tried to shimmy into the jeans sans underwear. She finished pulling them on and spun on him with a glare. He chuckled and tossed a pair of socks at her. "Thought you might want those, even if you're going commando."

"Yeah, well it's not by choice," she grumbled as she sat on his bed to slip on the socks. She watched him walk to his dresser where he opened a drawer and started pulling out clothes for himself.

He had just dropped the towel to step into a pair of boxers when Bella snapped him on the ass with her damp towel. "Shit!" he yelped as he rubbed the rapidly reddening spot on his right butt cheek. He cocked a raven brow as she grinned and backed away. "You better start running Shorty, because you're gonna pay for that when I catch you."

"Is that so?" she said from his open door and he nodded.

"Yeah, that's so," he said with a grin and he pulled the boxers on and took off after her.

She screamed in laughter and bolted out the front door, past a dumbfounded Sam and Jared who'd moved aside just in time. When Paul streaked through in nothing but his boxers, they looked at each other and Jared shrugged. "Guess they worked shit out."

**Your thoughts? Please review!**

**My thanks to those who do!**

**'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and any original characters therein. No copyright infringement intended.

**A/N: I just want to express my thanks for the outpouring of kind words, thoughts and prayers sent. I read and loved each one. You all are the best of the best. While I haven't been able to answer individually, it's my hope that this long chapter will make up for that plus the longer than usual wait. Blessings and love to you all. ~Spudz**

* * *

_Previously:_

_She screamed in laughter and bolted out the front door, past a dumbfounded Sam and Jared who'd moved aside just in time. When Paul streaked through in nothing but his boxers, they looked at each other and Jared shrugged. "Guess they worked shit out."_

* * *

_~o0o~_

**Chapter 15**

Paul and Bella were walking to the front porch steps when Charlie pulled up in his cruiser, scowling through the windshield at the sight of his daughter and a boxer-clad Paul standing there. They both looked like deer caught in headlights and he rubbed his forehead as he prayed for patience. _'Talk about jumping right into the deep end of the damn parenting pool,'_ he thought to himself. To him, with the memories of his sweet, shy little girl still vivid in his mind, this felt a bit like going from zero to one hundred in two seconds flat. Add to that all the…other stuff and to say he was still reeling was a gross understatement. "Just stay cool Swan," he muttered as he popped the door open and slowly stood. "She's pretty much an adult. Just stay cool."

"You say something Chief Swan?" Sam asked with a smirk as he and Jared observed from beside the front door.

"What?" Charlie asked absently as he turned his attention away from his daughter and over to Sam. "Oh uh, no, it was nothing," he muttered with his brows drawn as he closed the door of the cruiser. Jared snickered and Paul shot him a sneer while discreetly flipping him off.

Charlie trudged up to the steps and stopped in front of the guilty looking pair. "Paul," he sighed out tiredly. "As much as I love ya kid, maybe you should, ya know, take yourself inside and get some clothes on, 'cause I'm _tryin'_ here kid, I really am, and I gotta say," he hung his head and gestured at Paul with a hand, "…this ain't helpin'."

Bella discreetly handed off her bundled clothes to her mate and he disappeared inside without a word.

"Hey Ch—uh, Dad, what are you doing here?" she asked and watched with interest as his cheeks tinged pink.

He cleared his throat. "Lisa invited me for dinner, then we're supposed to go meet with the elders and Sue Clearwater. She asked me along and I'm glad she did. She's still pretty upset with Sue." He glanced over at Sam. "Can't say she's too thrilled with you either Sam. Not sure why you're here, but maybe you should take off and we'll see you at the meeting tonight."

Sam nodded. "We were just coming by to make sure Bella was okay, but I agree with you Chief, so we'll see you later tonight." They stepped off the porch and Jared waved. "See ya Bella."

"Bye Jared, Sam," she mumbled before meeting her dad's gaze.

Charlie eyed his daughter for a beat. "Let's head inside," he said with a nod toward the door.

Giving him a quick nod, Bella turned and went into the house where she paused and waited for Charlie to close the door and hang his web-belt on the rack. "So, what's this meeting about? Any idea?"

He watched a fully dressed Paul come down the stairs and wrap Bella in his arms before answering. "I really think it's about Lisa getting her chance to chew some ass to tell you the truth. She thinks the way they handled things was horse-shit and I can't say I disagree."

They walked into the living room where Paul and Bella took the loveseat while Charlie slumped into an overstuffed chair.

"What's wrong Dad?" she questioned. "You look tired. No sleep?"

He scoffed while arching a dark brow. "You're kidding, right? All the crap I found out yesterday, not the least of which's my daughter being in the thick of it all… Sleep? Not likely, kiddo," he groused while rubbing at his eyes.

She had the good sense to look sheepish when he pinned her with fatigued eyes. "Okay," she conceded with a nod. "Had that coming I guess. Sorry."

He waved off the apology with a sigh. "No, I'm sorry for being short."

She smiled wanly. "I understand Charlie."

The sound of the front door opening and closing caught their attention and a moment later Lisa walked in. She walked over and gave Paul a kiss on his cheek before sitting on the arm of Charlie's chair where she ran her fingers through his wavy hair as she spoke. "God, what a day this has been. Clients were hellish today." She leaned down and kissed Charlie's cheek. "You look like I feel. Sure you're up for this meeting? You don't have to go you know? Don't worry, I won't kill anyone," she finished with a smirk and a wink sent toward Paul and Bella.

"I'll be fine," Charlie assured her as his brows drew together and he looked back at Bella. "By the way, what did Sam mean when he mentioned coming by to see if you were okay? Why would they need to do that?"

Bella and Paul glanced at each other and laced their fingers together as she took a deep breath and explained her morning to Charlie. "So, yeah, Sam and Jared got me out of there and brought me back here so Paul could see that I was okay." She glanced at Lisa. "He loaned me some of your clothes to change into since mine smelled like vampire. I'll wash them and get them back to you tomorrow."

Lisa waved a hand. "The clothes are the least of my concern! You look okay, but are you? I can only imagine how scary that must have been for you."

Bella leaned into a slightly shaking Paul. "I'm fine. Yeah, I was scared, but they didn't do anything but talk."

Charlie and Lisa both were startled by the low growl now coming from Paul but Bella lifted his hand to her lips and kissed it while whispering to him and he calmed before their eyes as he took a couple of deep breaths.

Charlie eyed him for a moment. "You okay kid?" he asked and Paul nodded.

"Yeah, it's just the thought of her being so close to them…"

Lisa yelped in surprise as Charlie pulled her into his lap as he nodded. "I can imagine, kid. The thought doesn't make me happy either. Glad Sam and Jared showed up when they did." He met Bella's gaze as he ran his fingers through Lisa's hair. "What about your friend Bells? Angela Weber you said? Does she know about all this?"

Bella shook her head. "No, she thinks they're human, but how she hasn't noticed is a mystery to me. I mean, their skin is like ice."

Lisa smiled sadly. "Sometimes love makes us blind to all we don't wish to see Bella. She probably has noticed strange things but has been too scared to face the obvious."

Bella met Paul's eyes for a moment before nodding and looking back at Lisa and Charlie. "I can agree with that. Nothing you could tell me about Paul would change my mind at this point. I love him, no matter what."

Paul leaned down and gave her a slow, sweet kiss and she almost lost herself in the bliss of it until the sound of Charlie clearing his throat brought their attention back and they broke apart to see Lisa giving them a watery smile while Charlie rolled his eyes. "You two are so precious together, aren't they Charlie?" she asked with a grin while Charlie narrowed his eyes at Paul. "Yeah," he muttered. "Just precious…"

Paul fidgeted under Charlie's scrutiny until he couldn't stand it any longer. "What's for dinner?" he rushed out, trying to change the subject and Bella chuckled.

Lisa glanced at her watch. "Shit…uh, shoot…it's later than I thought…pizza okay with everybody?" She hopped up and Charlie nodded as he stood from the chair.

"Sure Lis, that's fine," he said as Paul and Bella nodded.

"Great," she said, sounding relieved. "I'll just go call it in and then change out of these work clothes. God knows I wanna be comfortable for this meeting," she muttered as she went for the phone. "Can't exactly kick ass in a pencil skirt and heels."

"Lisa…" Charlie said with a sigh and she chuckled.

"Fine, I'll behave," she agreed with a smirk as she waited for the call to connect.

Charlie walked into the kitchen and Bella snuggled into Paul's arms. "I love your mother," she said as she kissed his neck.

"Yeah, she's pretty great," he agreed as he leaned over and nipped at her lip before kissing her deeply.

"Hmm," she moaned into it as his hands began to roam down her back to her ass. She pulled away. "Paul, not now," she protested while moving his hands back up to her waist. He groaned and rested his forehead against hers.

"Damn, I just can't get enough of you… and don't think I forgot about that stinging red mark you left on my ass…"

She laughed lightly as she nuzzled against his smooth cheek. "Don't worry baby, I'll kiss it and make it better later."

"Stop talking like that B," he whispered into her ear as he sucked at the tender lobe. "I'm gettin' a raging hard-on and that's not a good thing with Charlie around."

She froze, instantly mortified. "Never—_ever_—mention my dad and the word hard-on in the same sentence again Paul Lahote."

He laughed and pulled her into his lap. "Instant turn off isn't it?"

She drew away to scowl at his grinning face. "Yes," she stated. "So much yes…you just don't even know…"

He arched a brow and looked pointedly down at his lap then back at her. "Oh, I think I do…"

She chuckled and snuggled back against him. "Well, at least it solved your little problem…"

"Little?" he hissed indignantly. "I can see I need to refresh your memory Miss Swan, but I gotta say, it cuts deep that you've forgotten so easily."

"Okay," she soothed with a sweet kiss and a smile at his scowl. "It was a poor choice of words and wasn't at all meant to slight your manly bits…" He cocked an inky brow and she continued, "…which are more than a girl could _ever_ dream of… I mean, they should be bronzed and displayed…"

He choked at the thought and she grinned as Charlie walked back in with a beer.

"We'll finish this later," he muttered as Charlie eyed them curiously as he turned on the TV.

He pulled out his wallet and set it on the side table. "Pay for the pizza out of that when it gets here Bells. I'm gonna watch the game."

Paul perked up. "The Mariners?" he asked and Charlie nodded. "Yeah, hoping they still have a chance, but if they lose this one, they're out of the running."

Bella sighed and slid off Paul's lap to sit beside him as he focused on the game.

As soon as the doorbell rang she hopped up and grabbed Charlie's wallet, thankful for a distraction. She just didn't get the allure of watching baseball on TV. She found it boring, but she also knew if it was Paul pitching, she'd be riveted, and just the thought of that made her heart ache all over again for him. _'Damn vampires anyway,'_ she thought as she opened the door and paid for the pizza.

As she walked through to the dining room, she called out, "Pizza's here!" while setting the boxes on the table. Lisa walked in and smiled at her as she took out plates.

"I think they're stuck to the game for now sweetie," she said with a chuckle as she loaded two plates. "Why don't you grab a drink for Paul and we'll take it to them."

"Sounds good," Bella said with a nod just as Paul walked in.

"Shit, I'm starving," he said as he flipped the boxes open.

Bella nodded toward the plate Lisa'd made for him. "That's yours. I was gonna bring it out to you with a drink."

He sat at the breakfast bar and pulled the plate over with a shake of his head. "Nah, it's just a game. Not like it interests me anymore. I'll just eat here."

She felt another pang in her heart and sat next to him to eat. "Baby, don't give up your dreams so easily. You're still so young and you'll still be young when all this shit's over with…you can still—"

He held up a hand. "Don't go there B. Don't feed me false hope. Hurts too damn much."

He continued eating and Bella nodded sadly. She'd let it go…for now, but she'd be damned if she was gonna let him just quit on his dreams. He was just too talented and had worked too hard…

When dinner was over, she helped Lisa clean up and they all met in the entry way where Charlie was helping Lisa into a jacket. Paul handed Bella a hoodie and she smiled in thanks as she slipped into it. The thing was massive on her but it smelled like him and made her feel safe for some reason. "We'll take my truck and meet ya there," Paul said as he grabbed his keys from the hook.

"All right baby," Lisa said as she leaned up and kissed his cheek. "Just try to stay calm for this, okay?" she asked while staring into his eyes.

He smirked. "Something tells me it's you we need to worry about Mom."

"Me?" she asked with a scoff. "I'm the picture of calm baby. Don't you worry about me." She patted his cheek and marched out to the cruiser.

Paul met Charlie's eyes and Charlie nodded discreetly as they walked out the door and locked up. "I'll take care of her kid," he muttered before getting in and starting the cruiser.

Bella watched her dad drive off and yelped as Paul lifted her into the passenger seat of his massive Dodge diesel truck. She smirked at him as he slid in behind the wheel. "You know, I would make a comment about men and the size of their trucks making up for certain inadequacies…"

He growled and she grinned into his heated amber gaze. "You keep that up and we'll be late to this meeting just so I can remind you how beyond adequate I am."

She shivered and stared at him from under lowered lashes. "Mmm, I look forward to it," she breathed.

He tipped his head back and breathed deeply for a few beats. "Damn it B…keep that up and I'm gonna sustain permanent damage."

She eyed the bulge in his jeans with a coy grin. "I could help you out with that," she whispered as she unlatched her seatbelt and slid toward him.

"Oh god B, don't tease…" he groaned.

She worked the button and zipper on his jeans as she glanced up at him. "Who's teasing?"

He hissed as she reached in and freed him from his boxers. She took a few seconds to look at his perfect cock as she stroked him. He really was beyond perfect and although she didn't have any practical experience with any other men, she knew from other sources that he was way better endowed than most men. She had grown up with Renee as a mother after all.

"Fuck," he hissed as her hot, wet mouth engulfed as much of him as she could while she worked the rest with her talented hands.

He buried a hand into her silky hair as his other clutched the steering wheel. "Bella, Bella…fuck, your hot little mouth feels like heaven baby…jesus, don't stop…"

She hummed around him as she pulled back and circled the silky head with her tongue while stroking and tugging his balls. She felt pretty proud of herself as he was now panting while his fingers stroked her scalp.

Slowly, she sank back down on him while hollowing her cheeks. She peeked up as she hummed this time to see him watching her with those beautiful hazel/amber eyes. "God," he whispered. "I wanna be inside you so bad right now."

Smiling inside, she quickened her pace and gently rolled his tightening sack as he gasped and groaned. "Fuck…oh fuck, yes B, just like that baby, don't stop…" he babbled as she sucked and bobbed relentlessly.

"Bella," he rushed out after a couple of minutes, "baby, I'm close…" and she could tell it too from how he swelled and throbbed against her ever working tongue. "Baby, you might wanna move…." he breathed as his hips jerked involuntarily but instead of moving off him, she took him in as far as she could and swallowed. The feel of it was his undoing and he came with a quiet shout and panted breaths as she continued to stroke and swallow.

When he'd finally slumped in the seat, she sat up and grabbed a bottle of water, rinsing and quickly spitting out the opened passenger door before sitting up and smiling at him as he pulled her close and kissed her.

"Thanks B…that was fuckin' amazing," he murmured against the dampened skin of her neck where he placed light kisses.

She giggled as his breath tickled just under her ear. "Well, I couldn't have my man suffering during the meeting, now could I?"

He sat up and smirked as he tucked back in and zipped up. "Well, thanks for takin' one for the team." He nodded at the glove box. "There's gum in there if ya want it."

She took a drink of water as she closed the door. "Yeah, that might be good. Not that I mind the taste of you, but the after-taste…"

He pulled out onto the road and grinned over at her as she popped a piece of gum in and chewed. "It'll help a little with the scent, though it won't mask it completely."

"The scent?" she questioned with wide eyes as she stared at him.

"Yeah," he said with a proud grin. "You smell strongly of me, which is great in my opinion."

He laughed as she popped in two more pieces of gum. "Damn it Paul! It's not funny!" She scowled as she chewed frantically and tested her breath into her cupped hand every few seconds as he kept laughing. "That's not gonna get rid of it baby, at least not for a while. Now you just smell like minty fresh me."

She punched him in the arm and drank more water as they pulled up and parked outside the meeting hall. "Never again," she groused as she hopped out of the massive truck. "Damn wolfy senses…"

"Bella!" She turned toward the voice to see a stocky teen with long black hair walk up to her with a smile. "Hey, remember me? I'm Jake, Billy's son. We used to play together when we were little?" he questioned hopefully.

When the memories finally surfaced, she grinned. "Little Jakey? Wow, yeah, I remember! You were a scrawny little thing last time I saw you, all twiggy arms and legs and now look at you! I never would have recognized you!" And it was true. Being a year younger than her combined with the fact she hadn't seen him since he was about eleven, the changes in him were shocking. He wasn't as big and tall as Paul, but at what she guessed to be six feet tall, he was definitely getting there.

Jake blushed and grinned. "Yeah well, time will do that I guess," he said bashfully as Paul circled his arms around her and pulled her back against his chest.

"Jake," she said as she rubbed Paul's arms. "This is my boyfriend Paul Lahote." She watched as the color drained from Jake's face as he stared over her shoulder. "Paul, this is Jacob Black, Billy's son." She glanced between them as they stared at each other. "You guys already know each other?"

Paul stretched his hand forward and Jake shook it quickly before taking a step back. "We know of each other, but never got to know each other," Paul answered as Jake stared into the gravel of the parking lot.

Bella eyed the younger teen curiously as he seemed nervous and ready to bolt at any second. Then he glanced up at her. "Yeah, we had different friends since he's older than me," he finished with a shrug.

She now felt an uncomfortable tension in Paul as he broke the awkward silence. "We better get in there B. We're already late."

Jake met her eyes and smiled thinly. "I guess I'll see ya later," he mumbled as he turned and jogged toward two other boys that looked to be his age.

She laced her fingers with Paul's and glanced up at him as they walked toward the doors. "What was all that about?"

A muscle twitched in his jaw. "Later B…we'll talk about it later." He glanced down and she nearly gasped at the sadness in his eyes. "There's not enough time to go into it now."

They walked in silence through the main doors and into the entryway where they both froze and looked at each other at the sounds of raised voices. "Shit," Paul said as he opened the door to the meeting room and gently tugged Bella to follow into the chaos.

"You had no right to do what you did to my son Sue!" Lisa screamed as Charlie held her back from getting right in the other woman's face.

"You gave me permission Lisa…"

"I did no such thing! You told me you were going to be in that area and I asked you to check on him to make sure he was really well! At no time did you tell me what your plans were!"

Billy banged a gavel on the elder's table. "Ladies! Ladies, please, can we sit and discuss this like adults?"

Lisa turned on him. "I suppose it was the adult thing to do when they drugged and abducted my son Billy?"

He sighed. "Lisa…please?" he asked once again while motioning toward her seat.

"This isn't over," she fairly growled at Sue before allowing Charlie to lead her back to her seat. When everyone was seated, Billy offered her the floor once again.

"Please step forward and address the council Lisa. All I ask is that you refrain from approaching anyone personally."

"Fine," she huffed as she stood and went to the podium they had set up. "You've all heard my grievance concerning the treatment of my son in the name of tribal secrecy and while I've heard your apology, I don't consider it to be sufficient.

"It's my understanding that Sam, Jared and Paul are just the first of many expected to phase, as you term it." At the many nods of the council members, she continued. "Then we need to address your shoddy handling of this situation as it's also my understanding from what you've said today that you have no intention of warning these kids and their families. In fact, you have no intention, even after they phase, of letting them tell their parents or guardians what's going on with them! How the hell is that going to work?! Some of these kids are still in school and from what you've said, they won't be able to attend for quite a while until they get themselves under control! What the hell are they gonna tell their parents? Are you planning to just let them flounder and have their parents think their kids are cutting and flunking out of the blue because they feel like it?! Do you see the unnecessary stress you're putting these kids under?! Do you even care?! Isn't this giant mind fuck enough of an upset to their lives without making them go it alone without the support of their families?! Isn't it enough for you that they'll have to drop their friends that won't be going through this, without an explanation?"

Her shoulders slumped and she hung her head for a moment before speaking again, quietly. "These kids deserve so much more from their tribe and elders. Just think about that and ask yourselves if you can live with what you're planning to demand of them."

Her voice trembled with emotion as she delivered her final salvo. "I know my son has had to give up all that he'd worked for, hoped for and dreamed of and I'm sure the rest of them will face the same fate. Don't try to make them do it alone. I won't stand for it." With that, she turned and sat down.

Bella was speechless as she watched Paul's mom take comfort in Charlie's arms as he quietly spoke to her for a moment. It seemed she wasn't the only one either as the entire hall was silent until Billy finally cleared his throat and spoke. "I agree with Lisa Lahote. I believe the kids we know carry the gene should be forewarned along with their parents or guardians. I also believe we should arrange tutoring for them to get them through any schooling they miss due to this."

He locked gazes with Lisa. "Again, I extend my apologies for what happened to Paul. In hindsight, we should have spoken with him before he ever left for Arizona as he'd already shown the very beginning signs of the change. We spoke of this at length and it was Sam's opinion as the Alpha, that he wouldn't be at risk while away because of the small amount of time he'd been exposed to the local vampires. For whatever reason, that thinking was erroneous."

Charlie stood and Billy cocked a brow at him. "Not sure if this is relevant, but I used to see one of the Cullen boys at the batting cages all the time when Paul and I would go there."

Billy smirked. "Vampires and baseball?" he questioned and Charlie smirked back. "Well if it helps, he was always there with Angela Weber. She was the one batting."

Bella's eyes widened. Angela? Batting? She could hardly believe it, but then they'd both changed over the years it seemed, so she shrugged it off to think about later. It was a small surprise when compared to all the others she been dealt in the past couple of days. What's a little baseball in the light of vampires and wolf shifters after all? She just barely stifled an inappropriate, slightly hysterical giggle at the thought.

Sam nodded and spoke up. "That would explain it then. Being away from it was enough to delay the changes but not stop them altogether. Still," he sighed and looked at Paul and Bella. "We should have been more careful and handled it better. You both have my sincere apologies."

Paul stood. "That's great Sam, and someday I'm sure I'll forgive you…maybe. Until then though, you have others to worry about. Show us your sincerity by not fucking up where they're concerned." He sat back down as Sue gasped and Harry glared. He smirked at both and kept his silence while staring them down.

Billy cleared his throat. "Okay…I think it's time to put Lisa's proposals to a vote…"

Thirty minutes and some raised voices later, all of her proposals passed and she breathed a sigh of relief as Charlie squeezed her hand in support.

Billy tapped the gavel to gain everyone's attention. "From here, I'll be contacting all of the affected families. Once I've done that, we'll reconvene with them in attendance to brief them on what they may be facing and how we as a tribe will support them. Our secretary will let you all know the time and date of that meeting once it's scheduled. Until then, this meeting is officially adjourned. Thank you all for attending."

They all stood and Paul hugged his mother tightly. "You kicked ass Mom. I'm proud of you."

She backed up a step and cupped his cheek. "Not that it was in time to help you really, but I hope what I said will make things easier on the rest that have to go through this."

"Nothing will make any of this okay, but I'm sure having their families with them will help. I can't imagine being ordered to keep this secret from you and having no choice but to follow that order. Bella was right, it would have torn us apart."

A feminine throat clearing interrupted them and Lisa dropped her hand from her son's cheek and turned to see a teary eyed Sue Clearwater standing there. "Can we talk Lisa?"

Lisa stared at her cooly for a moment before nodding. "Sure Sue, go ahead."

"I'm really sorry for doing what we did to Paul. While we thought it was the right thing to do at the time, I can see now how wrong it was. I just keep thinking about Seth…" she trailed off and her face crumpled as tears fell from her eyes. "He has the gene too. Harry just told me earlier today. I'd had no idea…" She broke down into sobs and Lisa sighed and pulled her into a hug.

"I accept your apology Sue and I'll forgive you eventually, when I cool off. As far as Seth goes, you need to be strong for him. This isn't a death sentence so you need to stop acting as though it is. From what Charlie told me of the first meeting and this prophecy business, we're going to have to stand strong with our sons while they get through some of the toughest shit they'll ever face." She held Sue at arms length and met her eyes with determination. "See them through it we will though because the alternative is completely unacceptable. Now, pony up and get ready to help them through this shitstorm, yeah?"

Sue dried her tears and straightened her spine. "You're right. Thanks for saying exactly what I needed to hear."

Lisa nodded sharply and grabbed Charlie's hand. "My pleasure," she said and strode out of the hall with a smirking Charlie at her side.

Sue made her way back to her husband who was speaking with Billy and Paul drew Bella in for a kiss just as Jared rushed into the hall and called for Sam.

They turned to watch them talk quietly until Sam frowned and walked over. "We have a new one about to phase; Embry Call. Will you come and help with him Paul? He may be a handful since we haven't had time to speak with him."

Paul glanced down at Bella and she nodded. "Go ahead. I'll catch a ride home with Charlie. Come and see me when you can."

He leaned down and kissed her. "I'll call you later to see if you're still awake. Love you B."

"She smiled and gave him a quick kiss. "Love you too."

When she walked outside, she sighed in relief to see Charlie and Lisa still there talking to some people. She'd have been screwed if they'd left already since Paul had taken his truck to wherever he'd needed to go.

"Hey Dad," she said as she joined them. "Can I catch a ride home with you? Paul had to leave with Sam and Jared."

"Sure kid."

Lisa cupped his cheek and traced a dark circle under his eye. "Go on Charlie. Go home and get some sleep. I'll hitch a ride home with my new bestie, Sue," she told him with a smirk and he chuckled.

"Just remember what I told ya about hiding the body."

She rolled her eyes. "I accepted her apology and I would never leave her kids without a mother, so there…no worries."

"If you're sure…" he hesitated and she rolled her eyes.

"Of course I'm sure! Go, I'll be fine." She leaned up to kiss him and Bella walked toward the cruiser, giving Lisa a wave as Charlie joined her.

They got in and didn't speak until they were well underway. "So," Bella said, "Lisa is really something! I'm in awe of her."

Charlie smiled warmly as he drove. "She's pretty amazing Bells. Her strength never fails and she loves fiercely." He glanced over and then back at the road as he continued. "I'm a lucky man."

Bella got a bit teary eyed at the love she could hear in her dad's voice. She was happy for him. He'd been alone for so long after Renee'd left him that she'd wondered if he'd ever let anyone in again. "I'm so happy for you Dad. You guys are perfect together. You're equally matched in strength, but you're the calm to her storm."

His cheeks pinked up and he gave a short nod in agreement and that was it for conversation for the rest of the ride home.

When he parked and cut the engine she could see him relax and was glad of it. He needed to unwind and get rest and as she stood from the car and closed the door, she rolled her shoulders thinking she could use the same. It had been a chaotic two days and she looked forward to shutting down after a quick shower.

After wishing her father a good night, she made short work of grabbing some old sweats and a T to sleep in before hopping into a quick shower. As she stepped under the relaxing spray, her mind went back to the shower she'd had earlier in the day, and she barely held back a moan, especially when she thought of Paul's hands on her body. God how she loved him…

Giving herself a mental shake, she turned off the water, stepped out, dried and dressed. After brushing her teeth and running a brush through her damp hair, she was more than ready to go to sleep, so with that in mind, she left the bathroom and entered her room where she stowed her shower stuff in the bottom drawer of her nightstand.

Just as she shut her door for the night, a low voice coming from the darkest corner of her room had her heart lurching as she spun toward it.

"Hello Bella," the unnaturally beautiful voice said. "I hope you don't mind the intrusion, but I believe we need to talk."

**Your thoughts? 'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and any original characters therein. No copyright infringement intended.

A/N: Love to you all. You guys keep me going, truly. If you want, check out a rockin' Paul/Bella one shot that I'm trying to talk the author into making into a multi chap fic. Maybe you guys could help with that via reviews! It's called **Lune Voilé  
**by TheDarkestFallingStar. Check it out and leave some love (and some pressure for her to continue it *evil cackle*). ~Spudz

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**Chapter 16**

Cold terror gripped her as she stared at the vampire who'd just stepped into the meager light of her bedside lamp. "Wh—what are you doing in my room?" she choked out in a trembling voice.

He smiled a genial crooked smile. "Like I said, I think we need to talk and due to your _friends_, this was the only time I could think of to do it."

She nodded and backed up until her legs hit the mattress. "It's the only time you could get to me, you mean."

Again, he flashed the crooked smile. "Po-_tay_-to, po-_tah_-to," he said with a shrug. He tilted his head and furrowed his porcelain brow. "You're terrified," he stated and she scoffed as anger overrode fear for a moment.

"Of course I am asshole! You sneaked into my fucking room like some common pervert! Does Angela know you stoop to such lows?"

His hand was wrapped around her neck and he was hissing in her face faster than she could register movement. "She has _no_ idea about _any_ of this, and I intend for it to remain that way!"

"Please, don't hurt me…" she rasped out as tears traced down her cheeks and her whole body trembled.

She watched as his eyes widened slightly and the next instant, he was across the room with both hands gripping his hair. "Oh god, I'm so sorry Bella," he said, his voice laden with anguish as his desperate gaze locked with her terrified one. "It's just that I'm terrified of losing the only good thing that's ever happened to me in my very long existence. I love her—_desperately_—and I just can't bear the thought of losing her."

Bella rubbed her neck and tried to calm her breathing as she watched him warily. "You have one hell of a way of showing it. I'm sure choking her friend to death would endear you to her for sure," she sneered even as she wondered just where in the hell she found the courage to do so.

She would never know his response however, because his head snapped up at a terrible crashing noise from down stairs that seemed to freeze him in shock just long enough to mutter, "Why can't I hear him either?" and then he was gone straight through the glass of her window just as a furious Paul crashed through her door.

He paused long enough to make sure she was fine and then he too went through the window.

Shaking though she was, she managed to pull on some clothes and shoes before Charlie was there with his gun drawn, looking surprisingly calm, though fierce. "What the hell's going on Bella?"

"Vampire," she spluttered weakly, "in my room…Paul went after him." With that, she rushed out and down the stairs, intent on getting outside…getting to Paul.

Choosing to avoid the destroyed front door, she went through the kitchen and out the back, racing as quickly as she could into the trees behind the house. She could hear Charlie running and calling for her but she couldn't stop. She could literally feel Paul's rage and pain as he fought and it drove her forward into the darkness of the forest.

As she drew closer to the sounds of fighting, she began to make out a thinning section of forest where the moonlight broke through the canopy, but before she could reach it, she was plucked from the ground by strong arms, the comforting heat of which was the only thing that kept her from screaming in fright. "It's me Bella…it's Sam and I need your help."

That got her attention and she looked up into his face. "What do you need me to do?" she asked in a deceptively calm voice.

"It's Paul…I need you to get through to him and stop him from destroying the leech completely because he's a Cullen and he didn't technically break the treaty we have with them. Paul doesn't see it that way though and now all the rest of the Cullens are here. They're not fighting yet, but that could change any second." He set her on her feet. "If Paul goes through with this, it'll mean war between us and the Cullen leeches."

"Okay," she agreed with a sharp nod. "Take me to him."

He picked her up again and ran through the rest of the trees and into a clearing where she could make out the forms of the Cullens. She knew it was them by the eerie way they reflected the moonlight. Toward the back of the clearing though, was something that resembled a whirlwind to her human eyes; the fight between her silver wolf and the vampire that had been in her room.

Sam walked forward cautiously and the closer they got the more horrified she became. There were small, glowing chunks scattered about; chunks she soon realized were pieces of vampire flesh. _'Oh god,'_ she thought in nauseated horror, _'Is that an arm?!'_ As she stared, she saw the hand twitch and grip the ground as it dragged itself forward inch by inch. "Sam," she croaked, "put me down, quick!"

He set her on her feet and she hit her knees to fight back an overwhelming wave of nausea.

"Bella, are you okay?" Sam questioned as she closed her eyes and took deep breaths. She was in the process of nodding when a leg landed not far from her. "Oh god," she whimpered.

"Alpha, you must end this!" a frantic voice called out and she watched Sam nod grimly.

He looked back at her and she stood while taking deep breaths to stave off the nausea. "I'm okay Sam," she reassured as she turned back to the fight that was still impossible to focus on.

An anguished scream shot new terror through her veins and she screamed, "Paul!"

It was as if someone had flipped a switch and before she could blink, the whirlwind fight halted. Now she could clearly see her silver wolf, with hackles raised, standing over the whimpering remains of a vampire who was doing his best to drag his mangled body away from the snarling wolf with the two limbs he had left.

"Paul?" she coaxed as she walked toward him slowly. "Baby? Come back to me? I need you."

The silver wolf backed away from the vampire and trotted over to Bella, all the while growling at the wary Cullens. He circled around her and chuffed at the lingering scent of vampire before shimmering back to his human form. As soon as this happened, Bella launched herself into his arms. "You came for me," she cried against the heated skin of his chest.

"Of course I did baby, of course I did," he said as he rocked her side to side.

"May we collect Edward's parts now?" a mature looking blond male vampire asked, and Paul's head snapped up, his eyes glowing in fury.

"His existence is forfeit!" he shouted as his whole body trembled anew. "That thing will burn for even thinking of approaching my mate!" He moved Bella to the side and stalked toward the blond male, heedless of his nudity. "He was in her room! He laid his filthy, dead hands on her! How do you justify this?!"

The blond male held up his hands, palm out while Bella ran forward and grabbed Paul's arm, even as Sam shouted to her to stay away. She couldn't listen though. She had to try to stop this. She wasn't sure why, but she knew deep down this couldn't happen. Despite what had happened, she knew deep down that the Cullens were important for the future. "Paul! Please don't do this!" she begged while clutching to his arm.

He turned his furious gaze on her and growled but didn't shake her off. "Why not? That thing deserves it!"

She cupped his tense cheek. "I don't know how I know this, but something tells me they are needed for the future," she pleaded.

His brow furrowed and uncertainty filled his eyes. "Why Shorty? I _need_ to kill the fucker for good! He touched you! He invaded your _room_ for fucks sake!"

She held his face in both hands now as she met his eyes. "I know baby, but I feel this strongly and I _can't_ explain it." She closed her eyes, dreading the words she was going to say next, but there was no other way… Opening her eyes, she stared deeply into his and prayed he wouldn't throw this back in her face. "I _need_ you to trust me Paul…_please,_" she entreated. "I know I don't deserve it and I haven't earned the right—"

He cut her off by pulling her close and burying his face in her curls. "Stop Shorty. You _do_ deserve my trust…but this is so _damned hard_…" He trembled against her and breathed deeply for moments before meeting her eyes. "But I will. I'll trust you…_BUT_, you're moving in with me on the rez so the fucker can't get to you so easily, and if he _ever_ tries again, all bets are off." He turned his gaze to the wary blond male. "You hear that? One wrong move and I take that fucker out for good and _nothing_ will stop me…not my mate or some ancient treaty or even God himself," he sneered. "He—Will—Burn."

"I understand," the blond male conceded in his most soothing tone. "You have my word as leader of this coven—"

Paul snarled at him. "Hear me leech—save your words! They mean _NOTHING_ to me! What matters here is _my_ word and you already have it."

The blonde male hung his head and merely nodded before looking to Sam. "Alpha, I would like to meet with you when you're available. Now is not a good time for either of us for obvious reasons but I beg leave to contact you to set something up very soon."

Sam stood rigidly, arms crossed over his chest as he inclined his head. "You have it. We have much to speak about, not least of which is the human girl your coven member is involved with. Now, collect your pieces and go."

Paul held Bella tightly, just taking in her scent and calming himself until a honey-blond male slowly approached. He met Paul's gaze steadily while giving him a shallow nod before speaking in a softly accented voice.

"For what it's worth, from one warrior to another, he had it comin'."

With that, he turned and disappeared into the trees.

**Your thoughts? 'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and any original characters therein. No copyright infringement intended.**

**A/N: If you all are still with me and reading, thanks and love to you. Also, this story has been nominated for the Non-Canon Awards in a couple of categories. My humble thanks to whomever submitted the nomination. I am honored. ~Spudz**

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_**Previously: We had just witnessed Paul kicking Edward's sparkly ass for daring to go into Bella's room. **_

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**~o0o~**

**Chapter 17**

Jasper Whitlock leaned casually against the wall, his arms crossed loosely over his chest as he took in the controlled chaos that was the living room of the Cullen mansion.

All of the furniture had been hastily pushed to the sides of the room by Emmett and Rosalie before they left to go collect the massive amounts of blood required to heal Edward.

Speaking of Edward, he—_'or what's left of him anyway'_, Jasper thought dryly—now laid out on a blanket in one side of the cleared space while the other side was left for sorting operations.

His attention then shifted to Alice and Esme and their macabre task of sorting various bits and pieces of rigid yet twitching flesh as they worked to lay them out in some semblance of order in spite of their almost overwhelming anxiety.

Next to draw his attention was a stoic Carlisle who worked to patch said pieces back into his most beloved childe despite the many cries and whimpers coming from him due to the injuries. Jasper raised a brow at this; seems wolf bites hurt like a bitch too and that thought served to bring a wicked smirk to his lips.

_'Serves the arrogant little shit right,'_ he thought with the grim satisfaction of one in the position to say _'I told ya so'_. He wouldn't though. Such a thing was beneath him, but he'd be fucked if he wouldn't sit back and enjoy this small victory over the spoiled brat silently. It was gold, damn it, and he would cherish it.

The sound of Carlisle's voice rising above the infant's anguished cries snapped him back to the present as he registered the conversation.

"Just what in seven hells were you thinking Edward? Sneaking into the Chief of police's house—into his daughter's room—the daughter who happens to be the bonded mate of the most proficient warrior wolf I've seen to date?! Have your senses left you completely?!" He paused and raised a brow at Edward's relative silence. "Well, stop whining and answer me!" he demanded as he continued working.

"I—I don't kn—know Carlise!" Edward stuttered out between uncontrollable twitches and moans of pain. "After m—my encounter with B—Bella at the di—diner I guess I felt threatened by her kn—knowledge of u—us and her friendship w—with Angela." Anguished eyes met with those of his sire as he continued. "I th—thought she'd t—tell her and An—Angela would break up with m—me."

To Jasper's surprise, a wave of anger came from Alice who growled before speaking. "You faithless idiot! I _told_ you Angela will never leave you, even after you tell her what we are! I _TOLD_ you she will choose to become what we are!"

Edward growled despite his pain. "And I TOLD you Alice, I can't do that to her!"

"So what?" Alice questioned with a sneer. "You're obviously willing to go to extreme measures for the girl—you're not willing to let her go to love another"—at this Edward growled loudly—"you're not willing to have a sexual relationship with her—so I ask you yet again Edward—what _are_ you planning to do with her? Display her on a shelf under glass as she moulders away year after year until she dies like some sick, sad tribute to your piousness? What about giving her the CHOICE she's due Edward? Huh?!"

"Alice, please," Carlisle cut in with a sigh. "Let me get him healed and when he's feeling better, you two can continue your conversation."

Edward scoffed and turned his head away as Carlisle furrowed his brow and tsk'ed. While his first childe was many decades away from his human age of seventeen, there were still times when he acted the age he'd been turned at, which required a firm hand from his sire. It was clear to Carlisle, this was just such an instance. "Yes Edward, this is a conversation that must happen and I will be taking part. These are serious issues which must be resolved; either with you ending things with Angela, or with her knowing everything and making her own choice, which I will hold you to. But also know Edward, no matter what you choose, this is the only time I will tolerate your involvement with a human. There's just too much at stake and it isn't only about you. When you take such risks, you take the rest of this coven with you."

It was then that Jasper felt the need to speak up and he pushed off the wall and stepped toward them. "I'll be involved in that conversation too because this also involves me and my mate. Ya see, if ya go tellin' Angela and she decides to end things with ya without turning…" he shook his head slowly, "—well, at that point, we're all outside the law, a situation I find unacceptable."

Edward's eyes widened and he looked to a grimly nodding Carlisle. "That's true Jasper," he said with a sigh. "And I agree, this needs to be a discussion for the whole family."

Jasper braced against the wave of panic that rolled off of Edward. "You can't be serious Carlisle! You would—"

"Edward, let's not get ahead of things here. We must first present everything to Angela and allow her to make a decision. Anything after that will be dealt with as it comes. We'll worry with it then. Now, let's get you healed, shall we?"

Jasper hit Edward with a heavy dose of lethargy and he relaxed back with a reluctant nod as Carlisle continued his task.

_'Yep,'_ Jasper thought. _'Ain't no way I'm lettin' that boy squirm his way outta the hard choices this time. Come hell, high water, or Carlisle's and Esme's coddelin', that girl is gonna either turn or die.'_

~o0o~

As soon as the last vampire left the moonlit clearing, Sam shared a wary look with a quiet Charlie before approaching Paul and Bella who were holding each other tightly. Clearing his throat lightly, he handed an extra pair of shorts to Paul before speaking, the words he was going to say tasting like ash on his tongue. Sometimes being the responsible alpha was a distasteful job, not that he held any authority over Paul, but still, he had his pack and tribe to think about. "While I understand your need to tear the hell outta the leech, I really have to stress to you the importance the tribe places on the treaty we have with the Cullen coven…" He trailed off as Paul snarled while slipping into the shorts.

"He was in her room! He touched her! I meant what I said—treaty be damned—he dares such a thing again, I'll end him."

Sam nodded while blowing out a breath. He really couldn't argue that. If a leech, even a Cullen, had done such a thing to his imprint, he'd have reacted the very same way. "I get it. I do, and I can't say I blame you. I feel the same way and I know Jared agrees." He glanced between Charlie and Bella. "For now, we're gonna head back to the rez, give you guys time to talk and work things out. We can meet up tomorrow and finish talking about things."

Paul nodded and pulled Bella close with one arm. "I'll check in with you guys when we get home." He glanced at Charlie warily, knowing he probably had some conflict coming.

The walk back to Charlie's was silent as they all seemed lost in thought; Paul with how he was going to get Charlie to agree to Bella moving in with him on the rez, Bella with just trying to take in all that had happened and Charlie…well, he was just trying to come to terms with how grown up his daughter was and all that entailed.

He'd heard what Paul had said about moving to the rez but what the kid didn't know is that Lisa had been trying to get him to move in with her for a while now. He'd been reluctant since they weren't married yet, but with what had just happened…well, he really couldn't say he was against it for any reason now. If moving onto the reservation would be a safer option for Bella, then he'd do so, no questions asked. Tonight had been a real eye-opener for him, to say the least. He smirked mentally. The kid didn't know any of this though and he saw nothing wrong with making him sweat a bit. Bella was still seventeen after all, and with what he knew of Paul and his record with females—he wasn't above giving the kid a bit of hell while he still could. He was her father after all…

They entered the house through the kitchen door and took seats at the table, all silently agreeing the ruined front door would wait until after their talk. Bella was the one to break the tense silence.

"Coffee?" she asked with a raised brow as she stood and began filling the pot with water.

"Sure kid," Charlie said with a sigh. "I don't see any sleep happening any time soon so coffee would be great."

Paul got up and went to the fridge. "Think I'll go with water. I'm amped enough on adrenaline," he muttered as he grabbed a bottle and sat back down. Cracking the lid off, he downed most of the bottle before meeting Charlie's steady gaze. "You heard what I said out there? About Bella moving and why?"

Charlie gave him a single nod. "I did." He pinned Paul with a steely gaze. "She's still my minor daughter," he said firmly as he watched the kid's jaw clench and nostrils flare. He knew Paul, and knew he had one hell of a temper so he was pretty impressed as he watched him breathe deeply as he brought that temper under control before responding.

"Charlie, I love and respect you like a father," he said as he stared down at his lap before raising his gaze to meet him squarely. "But you need to know I won't budge on this. I respect you and because of that I'll agree to abide by any rules you see fit to set until she's of legal age. Her safety comes first with me though and living on the rez is the safest option for her. While we're on the subject, it's the safest option for you too."

Bella set two cups of black coffee on the table along with cream and sugar before taking a seat as she stared between the two men in her life. "Are you two done speaking like I'm not even in the room?" she asked with one brow cocked. She took time to stir cream and sugar into her cup before leveling a slight glare at Paul whose expression was flat at the moment. "Let's get something straight here," she said as she pointed at him and then Charlie with her spoon. "I might not be capable of superhuman deeds and I'm surely no match for vampires, but that doesn't negate the fact that I have a brain and a spine, okay? I see the need to be in the safest place I can be, but that doesn't mean you two can just decide what happens to me without even asking my thoughts on the issue."

Paul took her free hand and kissed it. "You're right B and I'm sorry. I guess I'm just on edge and this is all still new to me. The fucking instincts are hellish baby…" He began shaking a bit and pulled her into his lap and she let him, knowing he needed the closeness.

"I get that," she said as she wrapped her hands around her coffee mug. She looked at Charlie. "I also understand this must be hard for you too Dad, especially since you haven't quite adjusted to me being much older and more independent than the last time I spent any time with you. However, we're all dealing with a crash course in dealing with some pretty major shit here and it's clear to me we're all either gonna swim together or sink. I really think our first hurdle toward success will be to maintain respect for each other while working it all out. None of us are stupid and we all need to work together."

Charlie sat back and took a sip of coffee before nodding and meeting Bella's gaze. "You're right Bells. This has been one hell of an adjustment for me to make. You were so much younger the last time I saw ya and now…damn, the changes are so marked, it's like I don't even know you."

The pain and anguish she saw in her father's eyes at that point struck her harder than she ever expected and she slid off Paul's lap to wrap her Dad in a hug. This was her fault. She'd been such a selfish brat for the last few years that she hadn't even stopped to think of Charlie's feelings beyond thinking he wouldn't really miss her since she really had nothing in common with him. She'd obviously been wrong and she could feel that in the tight hug he was currently returning as she murmured an apology to him. "I'm sorry Dad. I know nothing I say or do can change the last few years, but I'm here now and we can get to know each other again." She drew back and he smiled as she sat back in her seat.

"I'd like that Bells."

"Me too Dad," she said as she took Paul's hand.

Charlie looked at Paul and decided not to give the kid a hard time beyond what he already had. He just couldn't do it to the stressed kid. He loved him too much. "Okay, so Bells, Paul, where does that leave us? I think we can all agree we don't want a repeat of what happened tonight. What neither of you know is that Lisa has been bugging me about moving in with her for a while now. I'd wanted to do things right and not consider it until after the wedding, but now…"

Paul smirked. "I don't see a problem then…" he said as he glanced warily at Bella. "Unless you have a problem with moving in B. Then that's really gonna suck because I really want you to move in. I need to know you're safe…"

She smirked at him. "Something I'll never have a problem with…unless you treat me like an object. Now _that_ I would have a problem with. But moving? Not a problem."

After downing the rest of his coffee, Charlie stood. "Great, it's settled. We'll make the move tomorrow. For now though…" He motioned to Paul, "…you and I have a front door to fix."

* * *

Three hours later found Paul sneaking into Bella's room from his makeshift bed on the couch downstairs. He'd had to wait for Charlie's breathing to deepen and even out before chancing it. He didn't think Charlie would shoot him but why chance it? At the same time, those instincts he'd mentioned earlier just weren't allowing him to sleep without her and as he took in the lingering vampire scent in her room, he worked to stifle the growl that clawed and rumbled in his chest as he breathed deeply to calm himself.

Crossing the room quickly, he slid open her window to dissipate the scent before climbing into the bed next to her.

"Paul," she breathed as she wrapped herself around him even as she slept.

"Hi baby," he whispered as he pulled her impossibly close while nuzzling and kissing his mark on her neck.

"Mmm," she moaned lowly as she arched against him. Her eyes slowly opened and she smiled a sleepy smile. "I was having the most amazing dream," she mumbled as she kissed his bare chest.

"Yeah?" he asked as he pushed her back and hovered just above her. "Care to share it with me?"

She looked thoughtful for a moment before a playful smirk quirked her full lips. "I'd rather show you."

He groaned and dropped his hips to brush his burgeoning interest against her heated center. "Should we risk it with Charlie right next door? Can you be quiet B?" he whispered into her ear between light kisses.

She smiled cheekily. "I'm up to the challenge. Are you?"

He slanted his mouth over hers in a deep kiss that took her breath away before pulling back to answer. "Fuck yes I am." He reached down and with a tug and a rip her panties were a thing of the past and before she knew it, her breath caught as he slowly slid into her. Nothing in the world compared to the feeling of being filled by him.

"Yesss," she hissed lowly as her hands glided down the flexing muscles of his back to rest on his perfect ass. "Don't stop there Paul," she whispered. "Help a girl out, will ya?"

Wrapping one arm under her hips, he smirked down at her and whispered back, "My pleasure baby," as he drew back and surged forward firmly, setting a torturous pace as she bit her lip and held on to him all the while praying she could manage to stay quiet when all she wanted to do was moan and cry out.

"Kiss me damn it," she whispered fiercely as she buried a hand in his hair and pulled him down to meet her where she nipped his lip to punish him for the cocky smirk she found there. She sucked on his lip to soothe it before opening to him fully where he took charge of the kiss as his tongue slid into her mouth to play against hers languidly. That effectively solved the problem of her need to cry out but to her horror, the bed began to squeak and she couldn't resist the giggle that bubbled up from their situation. Couldn't they buy a fucking break here? It seemed not as the damn bed got louder and louder and he broke the kiss with a quiet chuckle.

"Shit B," he whispered stopping all movement. "What now?" he asked as he glanced around the room. They looked back at each other and laughed quietly.

"The desk?" she questioned and he shook his head.

"No way would that be quiet enough," he said as he ran through their options quickly before standing and pulling her up with him. He picked her up then and she just barely stifled a squeak as he pinned her to the wall opposite Charlie's room. He placed her arms around his neck and grinned. "This'll have to do. Hang on and don't forget…"

"Yeah, I know," she whispered into his ear as she tongued the diamond stud. "Be quiet."

He supported her with his hands under her ass and slid into her smoothly as she gasped. "Oh fuck, you feel good."

"Shh," he reminded as he covered her mouth in a kiss while pounding into her, her whimpers swallowed by him as her peak built quickly in this position. He was hitting her damn g-spot with every thrust and she really, really wanted—no—needed to scream. Instead, she settled for kissing him fiercely while her fingers dug into his muscled shoulders.

Finally, he broke the kiss and began to quietly chant her name hotly against her neck, "Bella, Bella, Bella… Oh fuck B, come with me…are you ready?" he murmured into her ear between desperate, hard thrusts and she nodded while biting her lip with a gasp when her dizzying peak finally hit.

"Paulllll," she hissed as quietly as possible as he stilled with a low moan while pulsing deep inside her.

When they'd both caught their breath, he pulled out and let her down to her feet while they shared a soft kiss. "I love you," she murmured while playing her fingers through his silky hair.

He cupped her face, his thumbs stroking over her cheeks gently. "I love you too B, more than you'll ever know."

A deep voice coming from behind Bella's closed door froze them both in place as their hearts took off in their chests. "And I love you both," the voice fairly growled, "but I'm not above breaking out my gun if a certain young man isn't back on that couch downstairs in five.

"Now go to sleep…for real this time."

**Your thoughts? Please review! Thank you! **

**'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	18. Chapter 18

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and any original characters therein. No copyright infringement intended.

A/N: Thanks to you guys, we got Gold! Gold for Non-Canon Fiction 2015 and Gold for Best Paul/Bella 2015! I also got Silver for Non-Canon Author 2015 and Silver for Best Peter/Bella in The Promise! My love and thanks to all of you! You guys are the best and make it all worth it! ~Spudz

* * *

_Previously:_

_"I love you," she murmured while playing her fingers through his silky hair._

_He cupped her face, his thumbs stroking over her cheeks gently. "I love you too B, more than you'll ever know."_

_A deep voice coming from behind Bella's closed door froze them both in place as their hearts took off in their chests. "And I love you both," the voice fairly growled, "but I'm not above breaking out my gun if a certain young man isn't back on that couch downstairs in five._

_"Now go to sleep…for real this time."_

* * *

**Chapter 18**

Bella eyed Charlie warily as she sat down at the kitchen table after cleaning up from breakfast. Paul had left for the rez as soon as the sun was up, so it had just been the two of them this morning and Charlie had been quiet throughout. It hadn't been his usual comfortable silence either. She could tell he was just waiting for the right moment, and as he folded the paper and met her eyes, she knew the moment had arrived.

He took a breath and opened his mouth, then closed it again and looked away a moment. When he looked back, there was a determined gleam in his eyes. Bella took a sip of her coffee and waited patiently; unshaken.

He must have read her equal determination because he gave a small nod and started talking. "Bells, where exactly are you planning on staying when this move happens?"

She held his gaze as she answered. "I think we both know Dad. It's a bit ridiculous to tip-toe around it, but if you still need to hear the words, then I'll be staying with Paul in his room."

He sighed, sat back and took a drink from his own cup. "Too fast," he muttered, staring down into the pungent liquid before meeting her eyes again. "You're right. I'd suspected as much."

She smiled wanly, knowing this had to be hard for him. Still, she wanted this all talked out before they packed their stuff and hauled it to Lisa's house. She liked Lisa very much, but that didn't mean she was comfortable enough to work through conflict with her father in front of her; not yet anyway. "Go ahead Dad. I know there's more you want to say," she said as she idly spun her coffee cup.

He nodded and sat forward. "You're so young Bells…so is Paul for that matter and I hate to see you both make a mistake…" He trailed off as Bella's gaze snapped up from where she'd been studying the table.

"You mean like the one you and Renee made?"

His brows drew together as he looked down at the folded paper his fingers now tapped a short rhythm on. Bella regretted her words almost instantly. She knew, despite his relationship with Lisa and the many years that had passed, the subject was still a sore one for Charlie. "I'm sorry Dad. That was low."

He smirked humorlessly. "No, you're right Bells, but not in the way you think." He glanced up. "I do regret it; I regret it because of the pain kid. It was painful watching the woman I loved leave me, but what hurt worse was watching her take my only child and knowing I would never get to see you grow up. Knowing I would only get visits and tiny pieces of your life at best and I was right and here we are today, trying like hell to know each other through an impossible situation." He shook his head and took a drink from his cup before speaking quietly once again. "And now, I have to sit back and watch as you and Paul put yourselves in a situation with the same potential and it scares the hell out of me."

She bristled. "I'm not Renee," she protested and he lifted a hand.

"I never said you were. I know you and Paul are different people and I love both of you. I wasn't kidding when I said I love that kid Bells. He's like a son to me and he's been through more shit in his young life than anyone should ever have to. And now, he's tied to this place more firmly than I _ever_ was, do you _really_ understand that?"

Her eyes widened as she sat back, only now grasping where Charlie was going with this. "You're afraid I'll hurt him," she breathed in shock and dawning comprehension.

He furrowed his brow and tapped the paper for a few beats before meeting her surprised gaze as she stared at him. "I'm afraid you'll hurt _each other_," he quickly amended before continuing on. "But Bella, if something were to happen and you ever walked out, I can almost guarantee you'd break him for good. I've seen the way he is with you and with as well as I know him, I don't think he'd ever recover. He's strong Bells and smart and determined, but love and relationships? Those are his achilles heel, and with how he feels for you…you are probably the only person on earth who could _destroy_ him. I just want you to realize that; to realize that this isn't just a case of playing house between two teens who are rushing to grow up. Please be careful and _certain_. That's all I'm asking."

She studied her cup and nodded slowly. "I understand Dad," she quietly affirmed before looking at him steadily. "But you need to know I love him more than my own life. I'm in this for the long haul. Again, I'm not Renee. I've never been fickle or flighty. Paul is the only one for me and I _won't_ fail him."

She stood and hugged him and he tensed for a second before returning it. When she pulled away and took her seat, she smiled. "I'm glad you love him Dad and I'm happy you've been there for him. I'm relieved by this talk though. Frankly, I'd been worried. I thought for sure it would have been about last night."

Charlie grunted as he got up to refill his cup from the steaming pot. He turned and leaned against the counter as he blew on the contents and took a sip. He smirked. "I figured I made my point well enough last night."

She narrowed her eyes. "You did, trust me. He couldn't seem to get back to the couch fast enough."

Charlie chuckled. "Good," was all he said and Bella rolled her eyes as she rose from her seat and washed out her cup.

"I'm gonna head up stairs and pack what little I've managed to actually unpack since I've been here. Paul should be back with his truck in just a bit. Do you need any help with your stuff?"

He waved her off. "Nah, it's mostly just clothes I'm taking. I'll wait until everything settles down to come back and go through everything. For now, I'm just going to set up the house for being empty for a while and leave it at that."

She'd just re-taped the last box when the sound of a diesel truck pulling up caught her attention. Moments later, she heard the front door open and Paul's voice calling out, "Hello? B? Charlie? Is it safe to come in?"

She opened her bedroom door and yelled to him, "Up here! Come on up!" She got a shock though when he walked in a moment later. He wasn't alone and he smirked and flopped onto her bed as she darted past him to grab the other person in a crushing hug. "Rudy!" she shrieked as he laughed.

"Whoa, B! Slow your roll girl! It hasn't been that long."

She backed away and grinned at him. "What are you doing here? Not that I'm not glad to see you…"

He pulled out the desk chair and straddled it while resting his arms across the back. "I had to come solve the mystery surrounding my baby cousin since neither of you"—he glared between the two—"would tell me a damn thing."

Bella shot Paul a loaded glance and he sighed and sat up. "No, I haven't told him…"

Rudy now looked genuinely pissed. "No, the fucker hasn't but he will, even if I have to beat it outta him. I mean, not going to school?! That's fucked up and I mean to find out why."

Bella sat beside Paul and placed a hand on his back as he hung his head and nodded. "Now that you're here, I suppose I'll have to tell you, but you're not gonna believe it when I do." He looked at his cousin who was looking more concerned by the minute and smirked bitterly. "I hardly believe it myself." He hopped up from the bed. "It's gonna have to wait though. For now, we need to get Bella and Charlie moved so grab a box and we'll start loading."

Rudy got up and glanced at Bella who was tracing the pattern on her bedspread with a finger while avoiding looking at anyone. "Yeah, all right," he muttered. "But you're not gonna put me off forever."

"Nope," Paul agreed as he hefted a stack of boxes. "Not trying to. I just wanna get this done. I'll feel better once they're all moved in."

They got all of Bella's stuff loaded and started on Charlie's when Sam showed up to speak to Paul. They walked away toward the tree line and Rudy leaned against the side of the truck where Bella was standing. He nudged her shoulder. "That's one intense looking dude," he observed as Bella watched them.

She smirked and glanced up at Rudy. "Yeah, he is. No people skills what-so-ever but he gets a little better as you get to know him."

Rudy popped a piece of gum into his mouth and absently offered one to Bella. "He a friend of Paulie's? I don't remember him mentioning the dude."

She shook her head at the offered gum and he pocketed it. "No, not a friend really. As a matter of fact, he was the guy who showed up in AZ and took Paul."

"What?!" he hissed, a murderous look on his face as he pushed off the truck and took a step. Bella grabbed his arm and stepped in front of him.

"No D, wait. That's all been worked out and Sam's no threat to Paul." Rudy frowned down at her as she stared up at him. "Please? Just trust me? We'll explain everything later, I promise."

He sighed and sagged back against the truck. "This whole situation is fucked up B. My heart is hurting for Paul. I know he's not taking whatever this is well. It hangs over him like a cloud and the only time he's seemed even remotely like himself is around you." He looked down at her and the depth of emotion she saw there warmed her heart. His love for his cousin was obvious.

"I'm glad you're here D," she said as she leaned against the truck beside him. "How long you staying?"

He smiled brightly. "Welllll," he drawled. "I might have cashed out on everything in AZ, bought my own catering truck, hooked my car to the back and brought everything with me."

She turned to him with a grin. "No shit?! Does that mean you're here to stay?"

He shrugged and tried to look nonchalant despite the grin he was sporting. "Maybe…"

She narrowed her eyes and he caved. "Okay, yeah that was the plan."

She hugged him and he laughed as he returned it. "You're good for him, you know?" she asked as she let him go and stepped back.

He gave a noncommittal shrug. "I love the little fucker, always have. He's always felt like more of a brother to me than a cousin. I don't know why that is, but it's true."

She glanced askance and smirked. "Little?" she questioned dubiously and he chuckled.

"Yeah, that term doesn't apply these days does it?"

She gazed over at Paul who was busy gesturing with his hands as he spoke to Sam. "Not by any stretch of the imagination," she murmured and laughed when Rudy lightly shoved her.

"Shit B, not you too! I heard enough of that kinda shit from all the girls back in AZ, thanks very much."

Her mouth hung open and she stared at him with wide eyes. "There wasn't anything remotely sexual in what I just said," she defended herself.

"I was born B, but it wasn't yesterday…"

She grinned wickedly. "Fine, we'll change the subject. So, your living arrangements?"

He nodded, looking relieved. "I spoke to Aunt Lisa. I get the third bedroom until I get my catering business established here, then I guess I'll get my own place. It'll probably be in town though since I'm not exactly Quileute. Aunt Lisa said she'd help with that when the time comes since she's in the real estate business."

"So, you're so sure you're gonna like it here?" she asked as she eyed him speculatively.

He took a slow deep breath as he surveyed the trees. "You know," he said quietly as he gazed around, "I've always felt more at home here than I have in AZ. I don't know what it is about this place, but it just feels like I'm where I should be, like it's a part of me somehow." He looked down at her as she cocked a brow. "You asked," he said with a shrug and she nodded.

"I did," she said as she thought about his words. She could never remember feeling that way about this place until after meeting and falling in love with Paul, but now she knew without a doubt; this place was a part of her and always would be.

She looked up at Paul when he walked back over to them as Sam disappeared into the trees. "Everything okay?" she asked as he pulled her into his arms.

"Yeah, he just wanted to let me know there are a couple others he thinks are ready to…uh, join his group," he finished as he glanced at Rudy who rolled his eyes.

"What?" Rudy questioned. "He have a secret club or something? Don't worry, I'm not into cliques. I won't get jealous or catty," he said with a smirk while batting his lashes.

Bella laughed while Paul muttered, "Crazy fucker." He opened the passenger door for Bella and helped her in. "Come on Cuz, let's get going. We have a house to fill. Mom isn't gonna know what to do with herself with so many people around."

Rudy climbed in and shut the door as Paul started the truck. He looked worried. "She's not pissed is she Paulie? I mean, I kinda just showed up and sprang all this on her…"

Paul snorted. "No, she's not pissed. She loves you. If anything, she's almost giddy bro. She's always wanted a big family and just never had the chance with all the shit she went through with my old man, the bastard, may he burn in hell," he finished with vehemence.

Bella placed a hand on his thigh and he smiled at her as he pulled out onto the road. "I'm good shorty, don't worry," he said and placed his arm around her.

"Well, that's good to hear," Rudy cut in sounding relieved. "Sleeping in my car is a bitch."

Bella grinned. "When did you have to sleep in your car?"

"Well, on the way here, I just crashed at a rest-stop. Didn't wanna blow cash on a room, ya know. And then there were the many times Mom kicked me out for a night or two when she'd get pissed at me. Those were always fun."

"She did that?" Bella asked incredulously.

His brows drew together. "Yeah, on occasion when I got old enough where it wouldn't be considered abuse or neglect or whatever. I kind of preferred that though over having her pissed at me and not being able to get some distance."

Bella just stared, her mouth open and he continued. "I was never her favorite son. She never said anything, but I could tell, ya know? She always treated me differently than my siblings. My Dad did too." He shrugged and stared out the window as he went quiet.

Bella reached over and patted his hand before giving it a squeeze. "Well, you're here now and we're glad to have you. Leave the past in the past. We're the only family you need."

He smiled. "Damn B, you sure you don't have a sister or a close cousin available?"

"Nope," she answered with a smirk. "Unless Charlie or Renee neglected to mention something, I'm an only child of only children."

"Damn," he muttered.

She patted his hand again. "There's someone out there for you D, you just have to have faith and be patient."

"Yeah," Paul agreed with a wicked smirk. "Until then, the rez is full of hot girls…" he trailed off with a grunt as Bella elbowed him in the side sharply.

"Just because I give you a pass on your past exploits doesn't mean I wanna hear about it and Rudy doesn't need to be wasting his time on a bunch of skanks," she groused while rubbing her smarting elbow.

Paul eyed Rudy. "Sorry Cuz, I tried."

Rudy shrugged. "Nah, B's right. I need to concentrate on getting my business going. That'll keep me busy. I'm twenty-two. It's time I became responsible and shit."

"Dude!" Paul exclaimed as his brows inched up. "I agree you need to get your business going and all that, but you're only twenty-two! In your prime, man! Not exactly the time to retire little Rudy, know what I mean?"

Bella sat up straight and glared at Paul. "You talk like you're in 'retirement'. Regretting something, Paul?"

Rudy smirked and looked out the window as Paul's eyes widened and he grabbed Bella's hand. "Baby! No!" He kissed her hand as she stared at him flatly. "You're more than I could ever _dream_," he wheedled and leaned down to whisper in her ear as he kept his eyes on the road. "You fuckin' blow my mind every time B. You are the ultimate woman. My search is over. Nobody compares to you and I'd stay buried in you all the time if I could. Just fuckin' slide in and stay there…"

She laughed and shoved him. "You ass," she said with a mock glare as he dissolved into laughter.

"But I mean it baby!" he said with a cheeky grin while pulling off the road and into his driveway.

"Mmm hmm," she said as she rolled her eyes and nudged a laughing Rudy. "Let me outta this truck. I need some Lisa time. You guys are having too much fun at my expense." She hopped down and waved a hand without turning back. "Now get to work. I'll see you later."

"Yes Ma'am," they both intoned together just as the door closed behind her. She sighed with a grin and a shake of her head as she went to find Lisa.

The door closed and Rudy turned to Paul. "So, that guy, Sam…"

Paul sighed and leaned on the truck. "You'll meet him later. We've, well Bella and I, have been invited to his house for an informal dinner and you can come along if you want. He thinks it's time we got to know his group since it's…expanding."

"Uh huh," Rudy muttered. "This feels kinda weird for some reason." He glanced at Paul. "I mean, from what B says, you guys aren't exactly friends. He's the fucker that grabbed you in AZ for fuck's sake. Why would you want any more to do with the dude?"

Paul sighed and scratched at the back of his neck. "It's complicated." He looked over at Rudy who was staring expectantly. "Okay, you want the story now? I'll give you the short version, but you have to suspend disbelief and don't give me any "you can't be serious" bullshit. Everything I'm about to tell you is true, no fucking around. Got it?"

Rudy nodded slowly, a frown marring his brow. "Got it."

So Paul spent the next ten minutes telling Rudy the quick version of everything that had happened and why since he'd been taken from AZ. When he finished, his cousin was very quiet as he stared at his shoes. Finally, he broke the silence with a low whistle. "Fuuuuck," he muttered as he looked at Paul with wide eyes. "Suspend disbelief is right…" He shook his head. "I mean, I remember the legends from hearing them as a kid when I'd visit, but never did I imagine they were real… If you hadn't said what you did before telling me this, I would swear you were punking me." He locked his gaze with Paul's. "But you're not…I can tell by the look in your eyes, you're fuckin' serious."

"I told you that up front Rudy."

He nodded. "Yes, you did. And it explains so much. I just couldn't picture anything preventing you from school and baseball, but now? With this? Shit…" he muttered.

Paul nodded and pushed off the truck. "Yep, shit is right. Now let's get all this stuff in the house before Mom and Bella come looking for us. Charlie should be here soon with the last of his clothes and then it'll be time to head over to Sam's."

When they had all the stuff unloaded, they made their way into the kitchen where they could hear Lisa and Bella talking and laughing.

Paul walked up behind Bella as she chopped vegetables for dinner. "Be careful with that knife shorty," he said as he pulled her back against his body and kissed her neck. She dropped the knife on the cutting board and tilted her head with a smile. "Hi," she breathed as her eyes closed, just enjoying the feel of his lips on her skin.

Rudy sat beside Lisa at the small table. He was uncharacteristically quiet and Lisa noticed immediately. "You all right Rudy? You don't seem yourself."

Paul let go of Bella and grabbed two bottles of water from the fridge, one of which he tossed to Rudy. "He'll be fine Mom. He's just trying to grasp all I told him."

"Oh honey," she said with a frown. "You hit the poor kid with everything at once?"

Paul took a drink and shrugged as he leaned against the counter. "He wanted to know."

Lisa sighed and eyed her nephew as he toyed with the water. "Yes but…"

Paul cut her off. "Look Mom, there's just no way to ease someone into that kind of information."

She stared off for a beat then nodded. "You're right, there isn't." She looked back at Rudy. "You gonna be okay there kid?"

Rudy chuckled as he opened his water. "Yeah, I think so. I mean, I haven't really seen it with my own eyes yet. I'm sure when I do, it'll become all too real to me."

Paul scowled. "Well, no offense but I'm not a trained poodle, so you'll have to wait for a demonstration."

"Paul!" Lisa admonished. "I don't think Rudy was asking."

"Yeah, I know," he shrugged and downed more water. "I was just making it clear so there were no misunderstandings when he comes out of his stupor." He reached over for an olive and Bella slapped at his hand and missed. He grinned. "I'm too fast for you shorty," he said as he popped the olive into his mouth.

"There are other punishments available to me so don't push your luck," she grumbled while stifling a smile.

He looked smug. "You wouldn't. You can't resist me."

Lisa rolled her eyes and threw a towel at her son's head. "Bella might not be able to but now she has me to keep you in line so watch yourself son."

"But Mom! You're supposed to be on my side at all times! When did this happen?" He looked back and forth between the two smirking females.

Bella inclined her head to Lisa. "Thank you Lisa. The help is appreciated."

Lisa smiled wickedly. "Anytime, love."

Paul rolled his eyes. "Whatever," he said as he stood and tossed the bottle into the recycle bin. He turned back to Bella. "We need to head over to Sam's place. We're supposed to have dinner over there."

Her mouth dropped open. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

He pressed his lips together as his brows rose. "Uh, I was busy?"

She gave him a flat look and he grinned sheepishly. "I'm telling you now!" he defended himself as he looked at the clock. "You still have like twenty minutes before we have to be there…"

She cut him off with a growl and turned to Lisa. "It seems I have to go get ready. I'll talk to you later? Tell Charlie I love him and I'll see him later tonight, hopefully."

"Will do sweetie," she said as she got up to take over finishing dinner. She glanced at Paul. "You know, you need to let her know ahead of time for things like this."

"Why?" he asked as he snatched another olive. "She already looks great, it's informal so she doesn't even need to change…"

"Just trust me son." Lisa said as she assembled the salad. "Women need advanced warning for things like this, even if it's to run a brush through their hair and freshen up. It helps in being able to comfortably present themselves to others, especially those they don't know well." She pinned him with a look. "Make it a habit, and your life with Bella will be much happier."

"Noted," he said as he nudged Rudy with his boot. "You back with us yet Bro?"

Rudy looked up. "You say something?"

Paul scoffed and chuckled. "Yeah man, I asked if you're back among the living yet, but apparently not."

Rudy looked stricken as he ran a hand through his hair. "Sorry man, just trying to come to grips." He looked between his cousin and Aunt. "Why didn't I ever hear of this before now?"

Paul scowled and wiggled his fingers as he answered. "Because it was a big tribal secret that not even those afflicted were let in on until we found ourselves all furry and on four paws."

Rudy's brows disappeared into his hairline. "They didn't even tell you until after it happened?"

Paul shook his head. "Nope." He craned his head toward the entryway and stairs as he called out, "Bella! You ready yet baby? Come on, we gotta go!"

"Yeah, yeah," she answered as she trotted down the stairs. "Give me all of five minutes warning and then yell that I'm holding you up," she grumbled just as Paul's phone rang.

He dug it out and answered. "Speak." He listened for a minute and grabbed his keys from the hook. "Yeah, sure, no problem. We'll be there as soon as we've picked it up. You're welcome."

He ended the call and opened the door. "That was Sam. They need us to go by the market and get a case of soda and ice. See ya Mom!" he called out as he shut the door.

"Good," Bella said as she climbed into the truck and slid to the middle as Rudy got in. "At least we won't show up empty handed."

Paul smirked as he started the truck and pulled out. "This isn't some dinner party shorty. Just a get together."

"They're feeding us aren't they?" she asked with a huff.

"I sure as hell hope so," he answered. "I'm starving."

"Well, if they're feeding us, it's kind of rude to show up without bringing anything."

He grinned. "I'm gracing them with my presence. That should be enough."

Rudy choked on a laugh and Bella slapped Paul's shoulder. "Get over yourself," she told him with an eye roll.

"What?" he asked as he drove. "You know I'm gorgeous," he wiggled his brows and she looked away with a smile and a sigh.

"Damn if I can argue with that." She looked back at him with narrowed eyes as she pointed a finger. "But, you are becoming an arrogant ass. Don't make me take you down a notch."

He slung his arm around her and pulled her close. "What was that you were saying about my ass? You love it? You think it's the hottest you've ever seen? You can't wait to grab it? All doable baby, but you'll have to wait until later."

She shook her head and leaned against her man in exasperated resignation as she stroked his thigh. "Ooh, a little higher B," he said with a grin.

"Behave," she grumbled and watched curiously as Rudy dug through the glove box. "What are you looking for D?" she asked as he searched.

"A pen and paper," he answered absently.

"What for?" she asked as he held up a pen and small notebook in triumph.

"To take notes. I always wondered how he does it without getting slapped. I need to get all this down so I don't forget."

"Oh my god," she sighed. "That's all the world needs; two of them."

Paul and Rudy just grinned at each other over her head.

Within minutes, they pulled into the parking lot of the market and hopped out. Paul took Bella's hand and they walked in while Rudy grabbed a cart and joined them. "Okay, I fucking hate stores," Paul said as some lady shot him a dark look. "So, let's find the shit and get the fuck out." He leaned down and whispered to Bella, "I smell leech, so no bullshit. Let's make this quick."

Her eyes widened. "Maybe you and Rudy should go wait in the truck and I'll get the soda and ice."

His lip curled in a silent snarl. "No way." He tugged her hand and they headed toward the soda aisle. "We'll just make it quick."

They were half way down the aisle when Bella's stomach dropped at a familiar voice and she turned even as Paul's hold on her hand tensed. "Bella! Hey, it's good to see you again. Sorry again for running out on you so abruptly yesterday," Angela said with a bright smile as she stuck out her hand. "Hi, I'm Angela and you're Paul. Bella showed me your picture yesterday. It's nice to meet you!"

Paul shook it while eyeing Angela's companion coldly. "Oh!" Angela exclaimed. "This is my friend and boyfriend's sister, Alice Cullen." She looked back at Bella. "We're here getting things for Edward. Alice said he's sick so I wanted to make my famous chicken soup for him and pick up some Sprite to settle his stomach, poor baby."

Bella glanced at Paul who was keeping it together admirably so far, with the exception of being as cold as ice personality wise. He wasn't even shaking. Then she glanced at Rudy and her heart nearly stopped. He was flushed, sweating and shaking. She turned to Paul. "Baby, you need to take D to the truck. I'll finish up here and be right with you."

He glanced at his cousin and muttered, "Shit," under his breath. "All right shorty," he said reluctantly. "But I'm giving it ten minutes before all hell breaks loose."

She nodded sharply. "Got it, now take him and go."

She watched as Paul led the shaking Rudy from the store before turning back to a concerned looking Angela. "Gosh, he looked sick too. I hope he's all right."

Bella grabbed the soda and lifted it into the cart. "Yeah, I'm sure he will be Ang. Look, I don't mean to be rude, but I have to hurry, so I'll see you guys later."

She took off toward the ice and Angela called out a goodbye. Grabbing two bags, she tossed them in and got in the shortest line possible. "Come on…come on," she muttered while drumming her fingers on the cart handle. Finally it was her turn and the cashier scanned her stuff with the gun. She paid with her debit card and grabbed the receipt.

"Have a good one," the cashier smiled and she waved as she hurried toward the door. "Oh god, oh god, let him be okay," she chanted as she power walked to the truck where Paul hopped out. "How is he?" she asked as Paul loaded the soda and ice in the back and shoved the cart to the side. He opened his door and helped Bella in. "Not good," was all he said and she could now see just how 'not good' he was. In fact, he looked terrible.

Paul peeled out of the parking lot and sped out of town toward the reservation. "Paul," Rudy moaned. "Fuck man, you better pull over. I really need to get out," he said as the shakes worsened by the second and his teeth chattered.

"Damn it," Paul said as he skidded to a stop and Rudy opened the door to almost fall out. He recovered and staggered into the edge of the woods as Paul handed Bella his phone. "Call Sam. Tell him we have one changing. Tell him to find us and then you drive to his house and wait for us. The address is on that note paper on the dash. Now go." He kissed her quickly and took off to follow his cousin.

She reached over and closed both doors, made the call and then pulled out onto the road with one glaring question circulating through her mind: Just how the hell was this happening when Rudy wasn't a Quileute?

**Your thoughts? What do you think is going on?**

**Let me hear from you!**

**'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	19. Chapter 19

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and any original characters therein. No copyright infringement intended.

A/N: Hi guys. This story has been nominated in the Fanfic-n-Tastic Awards in three categories. My sincere thanks for the nomination! My thanks also to those who continue to read and review! You keep me going and I appreciate you so much. It's truly a pleasure to hear from each one of you. ~Spudz

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Previously: Rudy had stumbled into the woods after he, Bella and Paul had an encounter with Angela and Alice at the market. Paul followed Rudy and told Bella to go on to Sam's house where they would meet later.

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~o0o~

**Chapter 19**

Bella pulled up and parked in front of the cozy looking bungalow style home and checked the numbers on the small scrap of paper in her hand yet again to be sure she had it right. She did, and so she opened the door and hopped down before turning back to grab Paul's phone. Just as she closed the door of the truck, she heard a screen door open and bang shut. "Hi," a feminine voice greeted her. "You must be Bella?"

She looked up at the smiling woman and returned the greeting gratefully, relieved she wouldn't have to knock on a stranger's door. "Hi, yeah, that's me. Are you Emily?"

The woman's smile brightened. "Yep." She beckoned forward with a hand. "Come on in. I've been anxious to meet you. So has Kim."

Bella moved to the back of the truck and grabbed the bags of ice before climbing the few steps of the porch where Emily took one of the bags. "The soda is still in the truck," she said with a small smile and Emily chuckled.

"God, that's right. I forgot you guys were bringing this stuff in all the excitement. I'll send Embry out for it," she said as she pulled the screen open and stepped in.

Bella followed her into the house and into a bright, open kitchen filled with pans and trays and platters of food. Her eyes widened at the sight and another girl seated at the breakfast bar chuckled. "They eat a lot," she stated with a grin as Emily took the bag of ice she was holding and placed it in the sink.

Bella chuckled as she dried her hands on a towel and looked around with a nod. "I hope so, 'cause you have enough here to feed a small army."

Kim grinned. "Well, technically that's what they are…"

Emily wiped her hands on a towel and rolled her eyes. "Four, now maybe five guys, an army?" She looked dubious. "What I do know is that they eat like one. Thank god Sam's business is doing so well, otherwise our food bill would break us. God know's the tribal stipend for the pack doesn't cover it."

"Tribal stipend?" Bella questioned.

The girl at the bar took a drink from her glass and nodded. "Yeah, they call themselves being supportive by providing a meager monthly check to the pack and also to each wolf." She smirked at Bella. "Just think, you have that to look forward to."

"Well, it's better than nothing," Emily said with a shrug. "This is Kim, Jared's mate by the way. Kim, meet Bella, Paul's mate."

They smiled and shook hands while Emily got out a glass and filled it with ice. "What would you like to drink Bella?"

"A soda would be great."

Emily set the glass next to her and called out, "Embry!"

"Yeah?" they all heard from the direction of the living room and Emily rolled her eyes.

"Can you go get the case of soda from the back of the red truck outside?"

The sound of the screen door slamming was their only answer as Emily turned toward Bella. "You haven't met Embry yet have you Bella?"

She shook her head and grabbed a carrot to munch from the veggie tray. "No, not yet."

Embry walked in with the soda, stopped and looked around. "Where ya want it?"

Emily pointed to the back porch. "There's a cooler filled with ice out back. Can you load it up for me?"

He walked through and nodded on the way. "Sure, I live to serve," he mumbled.

Emily shot Bella an apologetic look. "He's not usually like this. He's still trying to adjust…"

Bella held up a hand. "I get it, believe me I do. Speaking of…" she trailed off and looked at the clock. "How much longer do you think they'll be out there?"

Kim chuckled and plucked a cherry tomato from the tray. "No telling. Not only are they dealing with the one you called about, but Jared had to go over to the Black's. Seems like Jacob might be joining them next."

Emily nodded and took a drink from her glass just as Embry sat a soda next to Bella's glass with a smirk as he opened his own. "Heard you wanted one of those." He stuck out his hand. "I'm Embry, by the way."

She shook it. "Thanks and I'm Bella Swan and Paul's my wolf," she replied with a smirk.

He smiled softly and took a seat at the table facing her. "Nice…not afraid to claim the wolf…I like it."

Bella glanced at the other two girls who looked a bit shamed and her brows rose in silent question.

Emily sighed. "When I met Sam and he imprinted on me, he explained things and…well, I wasn't all that receptive at first." She met Bella's eyes. "To be honest, he scared the shit out of me -among other things- and he still does at times. I give him a wide berth whenever his emotions run strong."

Kim was nodding and looked up with fear in her eyes. "Yeah, same here with Jared. I mean, I love him, don't get me wrong, but the wolf thing…" She trailed off and looked away.

Bella's mouth was now open as she stared between the two women. "You mean neither of you have connected with your wolves? Have you even been around them when they're phased?"

Both women shook their heads and Bella looked at Embry who shrugged and took another pull from his drink.

She didn't know why the concept was so strange to her. After all, being afraid of a giant wolf was the more normal human response to have, but she just couldn't fathom not being close to her silver wolf. He was as much a part of her as Paul the man was and she would feel like a vital part was missing if she didn't have him too.

"Have you tried?"

They both shook their heads as Bella opened her soda and poured it in the glass absently. "Huh," she said as she took a sip. "Why not…I mean, other than the obvious issue of fear? It's not like their souls are different. It's still them."

The two women simply stared at her and her brows rose. "You both have a fear, one that you either try to conquer or you live with. These are your mates we're talking about here… Wouldn't you rather get over it and have a complete bond with them?"

They both looked puzzled. "Complete bond?" Kim questioned.

Bella nodded and pulled her hair and the collar of her shirt to the side. "Yes," she said at their gasps of surprise. "A complete bond."

"Is that…?" Emily trailed off as she stepped closer to see.

Kim finished the thought. "A wolf's bite mark?"

Bella let her hair and shirt go. "Yeah, it is. My wolf marked me before I even knew it was Paul." She shrugged at their shocked looks. "I saw him in the woods and felt the connection. To be fair, the old woman and her cryptic words might have helped with that. Maybe the bracelet did too, I'm not sure," she rambled with a creased brow. "I've always felt something from it since putting it on."

"Bracelet?" Kim asked and Bella held out her arm and told them the story of it. The _whole_ story, including what took place at the council with Billy Black her first day here.

"Wow," Emily said as she dropped into a chair next to Embry. "Sam didn't tell me any of this. He just said that Paul was a wolf, but not under his alpha command. I didn't really ask him about it, and he didn't volunteer any more than that. God," she murmured as her eyes filled with tears and she looked up at Bella. "A war? Seriously?"

Bella was now feeling pretty guilty and uncertain. She took a deep breath. What's done was done. "Yeah," she said as she searched for words to try to make the situation better as she glanced between the two terrified women and Embry. "I probably should have waited until everyone was here to bring it up, but I really thought you'd know about all this by now. I'm sorry."

"Know about what?" Jared questioned as he walked in with an exhausted looking Jacob Black trailing him.

"Jared!" Kim cried out as she jumped from her chair to wrap herself around him. His brow furrowed as he held her close.

"Hey," he soothed as she cried against him. He looked at the others. "What the hell happened? Why is she crying?"

Bella felt like crap and met his eyes briefly. "I told them about the prophecy."

He growled and she rushed ahead. "I had no idea you guys hadn't told them yet!"

His jaw clenched as he stared at her and she got a little pissed. What right did he have to get mad at her? "Look," she gritted out. "I'd be pissed as hell if Paul kept something like that from me, and so far, he's been completely upfront with me, so don't go getting your undies bunched just because I assumed you guys actually communicate with your mates! They're grown women for god's sake and they have every right to know."

Kim pulled back and wiped her eyes. "You know, you're right Bella and I'm sorry for falling apart like I did. It was just the shock of the news, ya know?" She looked at Jared. "I'm fine now, really."

"You sure?" he asked as he took a seat at the table and pulled her into his lap.

"Yeah," she breathed shakily as she looked around at all the food. "I think I'll be much better after a meal. I'm starving."

Emily jumped up and went to the oven. "We might as well start. I don't know how long Sam might be." She pulled out trays and dishes from the warm oven as she continued. "Have you heard from him Jared?"

Jared swallowed the chip he was eating with a nod. "Yeah, they should be here any time now. Paul's cousin finally managed to phase back. Took him a little longer than Black, but he did it. Think it was the shock of it all, but then it usually is. There's just no easy way to phase the first time."

"Speaking of…" Emily said with a glare in Jared's direction. "Shouldn't you make the introductions?"

"Wha…?" he said with a dip-laden chip suspended half-way to his mouth. He put it down on a plate. "Oh, yeah, shit." He turned to Jacob who was sitting silently as he watched everyone. "Sorry man, forgot all about you when Kim was freaking."

Jacob waved him off, stood and held his hand out to Emily. "Jacob Black," he murmured.

She smiled softly in sympathy. He really did look like a whipped pup at the moment. "I'm Emily," she nodded toward the others in the room and introduced them. "That's Kim and that's Bella."

He greeted them and sent Bella a little wave as Embry clapped him on the back. "Welcome to insanity bro."

He rubbed his face and eyed his friend. "So this is why you ditched us?"

Embry nodded. "Pretty much." He gave Jake a lazy punch to the arm. "At least you didn't take long to join me."

Jacob scowled. "Yeah, not that I'm not glad to see ya Em, but this is one secret club I could'a done without."

Embry shook his head. "I don't think any of us would'a signed up voluntarily man."

Bella looked at the two despondent teens and took a deep breath before she stood with her hands on her hips. Time to break up the pity-party. "It is what it is guys, it's not a death sentence and we're all in this together. Now, grab a plate and get some food. Jacob, what do you want to drink? I'll get it for you."

They stared at her with open mouths for a moment before she arched a brow. That seemed to snap them out of it, and Jacob smiled as he stood. "Just a coke if ya got it?"

She nodded. "Embry, you need another? Jared, what would you like while I'm at it?"

They all lined up for food and told her what they wanted to drink and she went out to get it. When she made it back into the kitchen, Sam, Paul and an ashen looking Rudy were walking in. She gave out the drinks and went straight to Paul who wrapped her in his arms. "Hi Shorty," he breathed into the crook of her neck.

"Hi baby," she greeted back before pulling away to wrap Rudy in a hug. "Hey D," was all she said as he clung to her like a drowning man.

"Bella," he choked. "What am I gonna do?" he whispered as she held him tightly.

"You're gonna be fine, D, you'll see," she soothed.

"It was bad enough when it was Paulie going through this." He chuckled bitterly. "I even thought I could help him, ya know? But now…"

She pulled back to look in his eyes as she cupped his face. "And you will. You guys will help and be there for each other and I'll be there for you too. We're all gonna get through this together, you hear?"

He studied her for a moment before he gave her a nod and pulled her into another hug. "Thanks B," he murmured.

"I meant what I said earlier. We're family. You're stuck with me D."

He chuckled and broke the hug as she smirked at him. "That's not a bad thing…yet," he said. "I might rethink it when you and Paulie start poppin' out kids though."

Paul looked over and went a little pale as he froze in the middle of loading his plate. "Who said anything about kids?" He looked at Bella with fear in his eyes and Rudy mustered up a smirk. "You're still on that shot, right Shorty? Fuck, please tell me…"

She covered his lips to stop his babbling. "Yes, I'm still on the shot. Don't worry. You're safe."

He sagged in relief and then shot a dark look at his amused cousin as he pointed his fork at him. "Shit ain't funny fucker."

Rudy's grin widened and he grabbed a plate.

When they were through with dinner and the cleanup, they all gathered in the living room where Paul pulled Bella into his lap as he lounged on a cushion with Rudy sitting next to them.

Sam got everyone's attention when he stood and turned off the TV. "Uh, Emily and I want to thank you all for coming tonight. Dinner was great hun," he said as he smiled at Emily and everyone nodded and murmured agreement. "I think there are some things we need to talk about. A couple of new members to get to know. I want to talk about who I think will be joining us next and how we can help them through it and then we can all call it a night." He looked around and Jared gave him a lazy wave. "Yeah Jared?"

"Well, I'm just wondering," he looked over at Paul and Rudy. "How is it that Paul's cousin phased? I thought the gene only ran in the Quileute line."

Sam nodded and took a deep breath as everyone stared at him. "It does," he answered unequivocally as he stared at Rudy and Paul.

Paul scowled. "That's gotta be wrong. Our mothers are sisters and they're Navajo, not Quileute. His father isn't Quileute."

Sam stared the two down as the tension in the room skyrocketed. "You sure about that?" he finally questioned in a low tone.

Paul handed Bella off to Rudy and shot to his feet. He was in Sam's face in the next second. "What the fuck do you mean by that?" he growled as his eyes flashed amber.

Sam remained calm despite the volatile male confronting him. He took a second to silently thank the Spirits for the time he'd had to learn control before speaking. "I mean nothing personal by my question Lahote, but I know what I know. No other line but Quileute carries the spirit-wolf gene."

Bella stood from Rudy's hold and went to Paul. She rubbed his back and shoulder as she spoke. "Baby, maybe we should go back home and work this out with Rudy? Maybe he could call and speak to his mother?"

Paul looked down at her for a moment as a muscle twitched in his jaw. Then he looked at his cousin who nodded. "I think that's a good idea Cuz," Rudy murmured while looking a bit sick at the prospect.

Paul huffed and backed off as he pulled Bella into his arms. "Fine," he said as he looked back at Sam who watched on patiently. "That's what we'll do then."

Bella went over and hugged Emily and Kim. "It was nice finally meeting you two. Thanks for having us.

"Don't be a stranger Bella," Emily said with a smile. "We need to stick together."

Bella nodded and walked out with a wave to everyone else. "Good night guys," she called out as she walked to Paul's truck where he held the door for her.

When they were finally on the road, Paul looked over at Rudy. "You gonna call Aunt Linda?"

Rudy scowled and looked out the window as his fists clenched. "Yeah Cuz, I need to know, ya know?"

Paul nodded and took Bella's hand. "Yeah man. I get it."

They were quiet the rest of the ride home and all the way into the house where they found Lisa and Charlie curled up together on the couch watching TV which Charlie paused when they all sat down.

"Hey guys!" Lisa chirped with a smile that melted into a frown when she saw their somber faces.

Charlie, it seemed had caught on a little quicker. "What's happened?" he questioned as he straightened in his seat.

Bella and Paul looked to Rudy who blew out a breath before taking out his phone. "I turned into a wolf today," he said as Lisa covered her mouth in shock.

"Oh god, you too? Rudy, I don't know what to say except that we're here for you. I hope you know that? This is your home now too and you can stay as long as you want or need."

He smiled wanly. "Thanks Aunt Lisa, I appreciate that."

"There's more isn't there?" she asked as they all stayed quiet and Rudy nodded.

"Yeah, I need to talk to my mom. You see, it seems the gene only runs in the Quileute line…"

Lisa went pale and Charlie wrapped an arm around her. "But that would mean…"

Rudy nodded. "Yeah, that would mean one or both of my parents aren't my biological parents."

Lisa shook her head. "I was with your mom when you were born Rudy. I was the first to hold you, after the doctor and nurses of course. She's your mother baby."

His eyes glittered as he looked at her. "Well, that narrows it down somewhat anyway."

Lisa's brow pinched. "Frank was there too though, through the whole pregnancy. There was never a question…"

Paul clapped Rudy on the shoulder. "There's only one person who has an answer for you Cuz. We could spend all night here talking…"

Rudy nodded and unlocked his phone. "I'm gonna put it on speaker if that's all right? I just…I just don't wanna confront her on my own." He looked at his aunt. "Maybe it'll help if she knows you're here."

Lisa nodded. "Of course baby, I'll help in any way I can."

He dialed and set the phone on the coffee table. She picked up on the second ring. "Rudy?"

"Hi Mom," he muttered.

"What's going on Rudy? It's kind of late and I was about to go to bed."

"I need to talk to you Mom. It's kind of important. Aunt Lisa's here with me and you're on speaker."

"Hi Linda," Lisa called out. "Sorry for the late hour, but bear with us for just a few, yeah?"

"Lisa. Yeah, okay, but this is kinda strange…"

Rudy cut her off by getting to the point. She was never one to show him much patience after all, and he needed to know. He didn't want her hanging up. "I need to know who my father really is Mom," he blurted in a tone loud enough to stop any protests.

There was a beat of absolute silence broken only by an indrawn breath before she spoke. "What?" she asked weakly.

Rudy straightened and scowled at the phone. "He's Quileute, I know that much for sure, now who is he?"

"How…how do you know that?" she hissed. "Who told you?"

Rudy's hands clenched on his knees. "Does it matter? Just tell me! I have a right to know!"

Bitter laughter filtered through the tiny device. "You have a right, do you? Well okay then, I'll tell you. Your father is Jimmy Lahote and he raped me when your aunt brought him here to meet her family. He raped me and threatened to kill me if I said anything. Swore Lisa would never believe me and I believed him too since Lisa was so blindly in love with the bastard at the time."

Years of anger and hate seeped from the speaker as she delivered her closing line before disconnecting. "So there, that's the truth. I've lived with it all these years. Now you live with it."

**Your thoughts? 'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and any original characters therein. No copyright infringement intended.**

A/N: Thanks for the continued support! You guys are the best! Plot is starting to move along. Hope that's pleasing. Wolf mind speak is in **bold**. Personal thoughts are in _italics_. Reviews are much appreciated! ~Spudz

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~o0o~

**Chapter 20**

Paul looked over at his cousin—correction, brother—and could easily see the immense pain and turmoil he was in. He knew, somewhere deep down, Rudy was about to bolt so he stood, pulled his shaking form into a tight hug and began speaking quietly. "It's okay man, it's all gonna be okay. I know you're shocked and hurt but you need to know there's a good side to this." Rudy tensed and tried to pull away but Paul held on even tighter. "No, I'm not lettin' go. You're my brother man. You're my brother. I've always loved you like one and I've always wished you were and now we know it's true and no matter how that came about, I need you to know I love you." Rudy choked and clutched at fistfuls of his shirt, so he kept talking. "That's all that matters. Don't think about the rest of the shit. You can't change any of it, so let it go. I have. I learned long ago to ignore the memories of the fucker that sired me." He drew back to look in Rudy's teary eyes. "What matters is we're brothers and I'll always be here for you. I hope you'll still be here for me."

They embraced again and Rudy choked on a sob. "Fuck this hurts…" he hissed against Paul's shoulder.

"I know man. Believe me, if there's anyone who knows, it's me. That fucker caused me so much pain when I was a kid…"

Rudy growled through his tears. "I was always glad you killed him, but now…fuck man, I've never been more satisfied by that knowledge." He sobbed again and croaked, "The fucker! I'm glad he's dead Paulie. So glad, 'cause if he wasn't I'd kill him."

"I know bro," Paul soothed. "I'm glad he's dead too. He'll never hurt anyone again, just remember that."

Rudy took a deep breath and stepped back and Bella took the opportunity to hug him. "We're here for you," was all she said and he nodded.

"I know," he said as he stepped away with his head down. "Aunt Lisa," he murmured, "I need to get out for a bit, but I'll be back."

She nodded, feeling helpless. She longed to wrap him up and not let go, but she could see he needed space. "I know baby," she said softly. "We'll be here for you when you get back."

Paul kissed Bella quickly as Rudy walked to the door. "I'm gonna go with him B. I don't want him to be alone."

"Good," she murmured as she stroked his cheek. "Make sure he knows we love him and bring him home when he's ready."

He nodded and left and Bella sagged onto the couch. She looked over at her dad and Lisa. "How could she be so callous?"

Lisa shook her head sadly while wiping a stray tear. "I don't know Bella, but it's obvious she's had all that pain and anger bottled up all these years. I knew she treated Rudy differently than her other kids, but it was never anything you could call abuse, ya know? She was just always warmer with the others and I thought the difference was because Rudy was so much older than her other kids." She choked on a sob and Charlie pulled her close while she cried. "There was just so much pain in his eyes." She looked at Charlie and Bella. "Did you see? God, my heart's broken for him."

"I'm surprised she let Paul stay there every summer," Bella mused aloud as she stared at the phone on the table.

Lisa smiled sadly. "Rudy's always loved Paul and always wanted him there. I have pictures of him holding Paul just after he was born. He was just a tiny thing himself, but he looked so proud holding his baby cousin…" She shook her head from the memories. "I suppose Linda felt she couldn't say no without having to give an explanation."

She looked over at Bella. "My sister's not a bad person Bella. She always did the best she could for her whole family, Rudy included. Like I said, she was never abusive to him, just not as warm. He always had everything he needed and many things he wanted while growing up and one of these things was time with Paul during the summers. I know for a fact she wasn't abusive or hostile toward Paul. With the way Jimmy was, I was very sensitive about that sort of thing. I mean, Jimmy didn't start being abusive until Paul was maybe eight or nine and even then it was just a few slaps now and then. He mostly saved the physical abuse for me but as the years went by and he drank more and more, things got worse until…" she trailed off, looking haunted and Charlie pulled her close.

"Shh, Lis, don't think on it anymore," he murmured while running his fingers through her hair and she nodded.

"I'm so tired Charlie," she said as she sat up. "Let's go to bed?"

They stood and Bella smiled sadly. "I think I'll call it a night too. I'll see you guys in the morning?" She gave her dad and Lisa a hug.

"Goodnight kiddo," he said and they headed up the stairs.

Bella stood there for a moment just looking at Rudy's phone before she shook her head and climbed the stairs. She really was tired, and worrying about everything wouldn't solve a thing. With that thought, she took care of her nightly routine in the bathroom, changed into sleepwear, climbed into bed and fell asleep with Paul's pillow clutched tightly in her arms.

~o0o~

The cool night air exhilarated the Alpha as he loped through the forest that had belonged to his people for generations. These lands were in his blood; such a vital part of him that he couldn't imagine living anywhere else. Here, his heart resided. Here, his soul was anchored and here he would remain.

As he reveled in the run and the sights and scents around him, he knew, without doubt, he would die to protect this sacred place and the people who lived here. It was what he was born to do after all and he took up the mantle with the pride that only an alpha possessed. Someday, as expected, he would pass on the legacy to his children, but for now, it was his duty and he would fulfill it willingly and with honor.

It was peaceful so far this night and he savored the solitude. At the moment, he was the only one phased, his mind entirely his own which was becoming more rare with the rapidly expanding pack.

He thought back to the last meeting of the elders he'd attended and their apparent unease at the growth of the pack. It was unprecedented and it had them worried. Even he, as Alpha was a bit concerned for it could only mean one thing; the numbers would be needed, and that was a daunting prospect.

His wolf chuffed at his thoughts, chastising himself at his own disbelief of the prophecy, especially now since all evidence pointed to it being true and not just an old, scary story. No, it was time to get serious. He felt that somewhere deep within himself to such a degree there was just no way to ignore it or pass it off as fantasy.

The unexpected presence of another warrior in his mind startled him from his thoughts and he skidded to a stop to 'listen' as he didn't immediately recognize the 'voice'. It was stressed and pained, the wolf's thoughts disjointed and chaotic…

_'Ah,'_ he thought. _'This is Paul's cousin, Rudy.'_ Sadness and pity filled him when he realized the source of the wolf's distress. He must have discovered the truth of his parentage. Flashes of conversation filtered through and he realized he was right, with a bit of shock and surprise at hearing the truth of just who had sired his newest pack member, but more than that, how. Rape.

The Alpha growled. He'd known from rumors that Paul's father had been the worst sort of man, but this… At that moment, he was proud of his fellow Alpha, Paul. Proud that he'd done what needed to be done even at the tender age of fourteen.

With a shake of his head, he trotted out to continue his patrol. They'd yet to catch any leech scents this side of the treaty line and he really wanted to keep it that way because the thought of those things anywhere near his people—his imprint—his wolf snarled and took off at a run from the rage that filled him at the thought.

He was just edging toward the cliffs when a howl rent the air; one he recognized as Paul just a moment before the other Alpha's voice filled his mind. **"Sam, we're close to our northern border and we're on the trail of three leeches. These aren't your domesticated leeches either."**

Sam took a sharp turn in their direction and poured on the speed. **"Stay on them. I'm on my way."**

**"Shit!"** he heard Paul say. **"They're looping back toward Forks! I can just see them now. There's definitely three. Fuck, they're almost to the treaty line…"**

Sam was running as fast as he could, his massive, sleek form barely visible in the darkness of the forest, the only sounds of his passage the falls of his paws and the occasional snarl. He needed to get there; was driven to get there and end these things. Still, there were obligations he couldn't ignore, so with that in mind, he warned his fellow protectors. **"Mind the treaty line! If we don't get them tonight, they'll probably be back but we can't afford to start shit with the Cullens."**

He heard Paul and Rudy snarl in his mind and could feel that Paul had stopped. **"They crossed! Fuck!"**

Still, the Alpha ran. He needed to get the scents at least for next time, if there was a next time. Just as he thought this, he spotted the pacing form of the enraged silver wolf as he snarled and snapped next to a darker grey wolf who growled lowly and continuously as he too prowled and paced. Just as he neared them, Paul's voice sounded in his head once again. **"Fuck this. I'm going after them and if the Cullens—his voice sneered—don't like it, they can kiss my ass."**

That said, he took off in a streak of silver and his brother followed him.

Sam growled loudly and cursed in his mind as he too flew past the treaty line just moments later. He couldn't let them down due to an ancient, imaginary line, now could he?

**"Christ!"** he heard Paul say. **"They're heading for a neighborhood that backs up to the trees! Rudy, you circle around from my left, Sam, you take the right flank, maybe we can head them off that way."**

**"All right,"** Sam responded. **"Just do your best to keep them away from the homes."**

**"The homes are spread out here."** Paul responded. **"A couple of acres between each and they've passed a few already. It's like they're…oh fuck, hang on…yeah, they're following another leech scent…one of the Cullen's…the one I tore the shit out of is the strongest scent and it's going straight to a house. Gonna stop talking now 'cause I'm about to grab a leech. They're taking to the trees…"**

Sam could just make out the form of Paul as he lunged and took down a leech with long dread-locks just as the leech had made a leap for the trees.

**"No you don't fucker…"** he heard Paul growl through his mind as he tore the leech apart in a horrific display of speed and strength. The leech never had a chance. He was right though, the other two had taken to the trees and were steadily moving toward the back of the house the Cullen trail led to.

It was then that Sam noticed a black-eyed, feral face staring from an upper floor window of the house. As he watched, the window slid open and the penny-haired leech jumped down with a quiet snarl as he stared into the trees.

**"Fuck! I got her!"** Rudy's voice echoed through Sam's mind next and he took off in his direction.

**"No shit bro?!"** Paul responded. **"Hang on to the bitch! I'm done with this one and I'll be right there!"**

Sam heard a mighty feminine scream of rage and the sounds of rending vampire flesh. **"What's going on?!"** he questioned as he skidded to a stop where Rudy lay stunned with a twitching arm next to him.

The grey wolf looked up blearily and got to his feet. **"I had her,"** his voice intoned as he pawed at the arm. **"But the rest of her got away. Sorry."**

Just then, Paul skidded up next to them and paced around his brother. **"You all right bro?"** he questioned and Rudy shook his massive head to clear it.

**"Yeah, I'll be okay. It's just the blond male kicked the shit outta my head to rescue the red-headed bitch."**

The silver wolf bared his teeth as Paul's cold laughter sounded through their minds. **"At least you got a piece of her bro. She'll be a one-armed leech from now until we kill her for good."** He nodded toward the arm. **"Pick that up and we'll go burn it with the pile of leech I left not far from here. It should be far enough to not bother the humans when it burns."**

Rudy picked up the arm while making gagging sounds through their minds. **"Jesus, I'm gonna need some heavy duty mouth wash after this. Fuck. It's a cruel fate that we have to use our mouths on something that stinks so fuckin' bad."**

Paul's wolf chuffed in something like laughter. **"I agree with ya there bro. It's no wonder this job isn't voluntary. No one would sign up."**

They made it back to where Paul had left his kill and gathered the pieces into a pile before phasing back to light the fire with a lighter Sam had. He looked at the two naked males and snorted. "You guys really need to learn to carry shorts with you. That, and a lighter."

Paul smirked. "What? You don't like my bare ass?"

Sam's brow quirked. "Not particularly. I much prefer the feminine variety, thanks anyway."

Paul grinned. "That's good to hear. I'd hate to have to be all shy and shit."

Rudy threw a stick at him. "Paul Lahote? Shy? That'll be the day…"

Paul's sudden phasing and snarling at the trees had them on alert and seconds later the Cullen leech walked into their little clearing with his hands raised. "I'm not here to fight," he said as he watched the three warily. "Please, I just want to talk."

Sam crossed his arms and nodded. "Talk then."

Cullen nodded and glanced between them. "You crossed the treaty line," he said and Paul snarled and snapped while standing his ground.

"We did," Sam agreed bluntly. "I believed it was for a good reason," he nodded toward the smoldering pile. "As you can plainly see."

The Cullen nodded. "I simply wanted to thank you."

Paul growled and the Cullen responded to his thoughts. "I know you didn't do it for me, but they were tracking my scent to my mate's house and you stopped them, so for that, I am grateful." He looked down and stuffed his hands in his pockets. "They are long gone now, but I fear they will be back." He looked up. "You see, I heard their thoughts."

Sam raised a brow at that. "Heard their thoughts?" he questioned.

The Cullen nodded. "Yes, I'm a mind reader. I hear everyone's thoughts," he glanced at Paul. "With the exception of Bella's; for some reason, she is silent to me."

"Interesting," Sam murmured then gestured with a hand. "Continue."

The Cullen nodded.

"The blond male is a tracker and instinctively driven to the hunt. The more difficult the prey, the more he loves it. He now knows there is a coven protecting a human female. He sees this as the ultimate challenge. The female simply wants revenge for her arm that you've destroyed, so none of us can be complacent; none of us are safe, here in Forks or on the reservation."

His words chilled the three wolves who immediately thought of their families, alone and asleep at this hour, but basically unprotected.

"We'll be going now," Sam said as he removed his shorts and tied them to his leg. "I'll call your leader for a meeting tomorrow." He phased and all three wolves took off for home.

**"Paul, are you still linked with me?"** he questioned.

**"Yeah, I'm here,"** he answered. **"As long as we're working together, I'll stay linked in,"** he promised.

**"Good,"** Sam said. **"Makes things a lot easier. I'm gonna wake Jared and Embry so they can patrol. Looks like we're gonna have to have a regular schedule from now on so a team is always on."**

**"I agree,"** Paul said as he glanced at his brother. **"Rudy and I can take a shift too."**

**"Good,"** Sam said, sounding relieved. **"I was hoping you would be willing…"**

Paul snorted. **"And miss out on destroying the things that caused me to turn into a big, hairy beast? The things that fucked up my life? Not hardly man. I'm gonna take out as many of the fuckers as possible."**

Once back on the reservation, Sam veered off toward his home. **"I'll call you tomorrow and let you know when the meeting will be with the elders and the Cullens. It might be as soon as tomorrow night."**

**"The sooner the better I say,"** Paul responded. **"Who knows when the leeches will be back for another go-round. Another thing to consider is school starting up again next week. So much shit to consider and right now, there's just the four of us that don't have to worry about classes,"** he said in a bitter tone.

Sam snorted. **"Yeah? Some of us have jobs… which reminds me…I wanted to see if you're interested in a construction job."**

He heard a sigh filter through his mind before Paul answered. **"I suppose I'm gonna need something to support myself on."** He growled. **"I don't mean to sound ungrateful…"**

Sam cut him off. **"I understand Lahote. You had a bright future ahead and now it's all on hold. I get it,"** he said as he skidded to a stop just behind his home. **"Look, I'm home now and going to phase. I'll talk to you tomorrow."**

**"Yeah, all right, we're home too and all's clear scent-wise, so we'll see ya later."**

Paul and Rudy phased back and sneaked in the back door since they were naked. Earlier, Rudy hadn't bothered undressing to phase. He'd been too upset and Paul had followed suit. He hadn't wanted to lose track of his…brother. "This way," Paul whispered as he led Rudy to the laundry room. He sighed in relief at the sight of a basket of folded clothes and grinned when he found a stack of boxers. He handed a pair to Rudy and slipped on a pair.

"Thank fuck," Rudy whispered. "Wasn't lookin' forward to sneaking my bare ass up stairs."

Paul shook his head. "Me either bro, not with Charlie in the house." He looked over at Rudy. "You okay now man?"

Rudy snorted. "Yeah, I'm good." He shoved Paul who was still giving him a look. "Dude, I'm not a fragile flower here, okay? So my real father was an abusive, rapist bastard…the fucker's dead and it's water under the bridge, ya know? Just because I know all this now doesn't change who I am and who I've always been. It doesn't change how I feel about you either." He pointed to his chest. "In here, you've always been my brother." He shrugged. "Now we know it's true."

Paul nodded and ducked when Rudy reached out to ruffle his hair. "Quit fuckin' with my hair asshole," he growled playfully.

"My hair, my hair!" Rudy mocked in a high voice as he slung an arm around Paul's shoulders. "Come on ya little shit. Let's call it a night. I'm beat."

"Little?" Paul questioned as they made their way upstairs.

Rudy smirked. "Yeah, haven't ya noticed? Since I went all wolfie, I got a good two inches on you again bro, just as it should be."

Paul shot him a dark look. "I can still kick your ass."

Rudy stopped at his door and put Paul in a headlock while messing his hair as Paul struggled. "No you can't," he sang in a mocking tone as he let him go. He stepped behind the relative safety of his door and blurted, "Bella won't let you!" before closing and locking his door with a cackle.

Paul glared at the door for a second before smiling and walking to his room. "Fucker," he grumbled as he slipped in and shut the door.

Down the hall, Lisa shut her door with teary eyes and a smile.

Her boys, for that's what they both were in her heart, were gonna be just fine.

**Your thoughts? 'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	21. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and any original characters therein. No copyright infringement intended.**

**A/N: Last chapter ended with Paul and Rudy returning from successfully destroying whom we all know was Laurent, not to mention leaving ol' Vick with only one arm. Rudy let Paul know that he was okay for the most part in what he'd just found out about his real parentage, and they both went to bed. We now join our fave couple the next day... Hope you continue to enjoy. It'd be lovely to hear from you! ~Spudz**

**~o0o~**

**Chapter 21**

"I'm going."

"No, you're not."

"I - am - going."

"No… You - are - not."

"If I have to walk the whole way there by myself, I'm going!" She glared hotly as her voice rose in volume with her temper.

His eyes flashed at just the thought of her alone in the forest, his jaw clenched and nostrils flaring as he tried to breathe through the sudden spike of anger his fear for her incited. Turning from her, he dropped his head as his shoulders rose and fell with every deep breath he took while one hand rubbed at his forehead. "Bella," he murmured without looking up. "Do you understand there are red-eyed cold ones looking to play games with us right now?" His head lifted and her breath caught at his heated amber gaze. "Deadly games Bella, and you are the perfect target. Do you understand that? Do you get that you are safer because they don't really know who you are from the general population, but once they connect you to us, you are prime time? Is any of this getting through to you?"

She studied him for moments, thinking carefully on her next words as she took time to note the look in his eyes. There was anger there for sure, but underlying that, there was fear and she didn't make the mistake of thinking it was fear for himself. No—she knew better—knew _him_ better. It was fear for her, and it served to deflate her righteous anger instantly.

Taking a deep breath, she exhaled with a nod. "Okay, I get it," she said while holding his gaze steadily, her eyes speaking more words than her lips ever could. _'I'm sorry... I love you enough to do this for you... I understand...'_

He reached her in two strides, pulling her into his arms as he kissed her head. "Thank you," he breathed in relief as they held each other for moments.

"So what's the plan then?" she questioned, her voice a little muffled as he held her tightly. "I assume we'll have someone here watching over us?"

"Yeah," he answered while carding his fingers through her hair. "Jared and Embry will be staying on the rez…really they'll be patrolling the residential areas, just making sure the families are safe. The rest of us will be at the treaty line for the meeting. I hear they're bringing the human girl. Seems the mind-reader finally found his balls, 'course it may have been due to Sam's insistence."

Bella pulled back to look at him, her brow creased in thought. "I'm surprised she hasn't called me…"

"Well, I'm not too sure what they've told her yet. If they haven't told her everything, she's not going to know you already know. Plus, if they have, she's probably still in the shock stage." He smirked. "God knows it takes a bit to get back to fully functioning when you hear shit like that."

"Yeah," Bella muttered as she turned and sat on the bed with a sigh. "Yeah, I guess it does."

"Except for you, apparently. You took it like a champ… Hell, you took it better than _I_ did," he said dryly as he peeled his shirt off.

Her eyes zeroed in on his flexing abs and her mouth went a little dry.

"Hey shorty," he called to her after a moment. Her gaze dragged up his body to meet his amused one. "My eyes are up here. I'm a person ya know, not an object," he said in a wounded tone.

She chuckled and flipped him off.

"Hold that thought," he purred as he pulled her up into his arms while kissing her neck. "I'll take you up on it later," he said as she felt his lips curve into a smirk against her skin.

"You ass," she said as she slapped his shoulder and stepped out of his arms while he chuckled. "So, Rudy? He'll be going with you then?"

He nodded as he ditched his shoes and socks. "Yep, he will." He continued undressing while Bella watched. She had to turn away when he reached for the button on his jeans with a cocky smirk.

"He seems to be doing okay, at least what I saw of him today…" she remarked and turned back just as he slipped into a pair of shorts and joined her on the bed.

He shrugged and pulled her close as he settled against the pillows. "He's handling it, ya know? I'm sure he has his moments, but he seems to realize nothing he's heard will change who he is—who he's always been. That's what he told me anyway and I have to believe him."

She sat there, lost in thought for moments until he squeezed her gently. "What 'cha thinking about B?" he asked quietly.

"Lots of things," she muttered, and it was true but one subject came to her mind and she glanced at him over her shoulder before speaking.

"Do you know that the other girls have never interacted with their mates in wolf form?"

He pursed his lips and shrugged. "No, but then I never really gave it any thought. Not my business, ya know?"

She turned in his arms to see him better.

"Yeah, but don't you think that's kinda weird now that you know? I mean, when we talked about it the other day, they both seemed _afraid_…" She ran her palm down his cheek to his neck where it rested, her thumb rubbing a soothing pattern just below his jawline. "I can't imagine being afraid of you, in either form…"

He grinned. "Don't take this the wrong way shorty, but being afraid of a giant fucking wolf is kinda the normal response…"

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, okay, I get it…I'm the weirdo in this scenario…"

He snickered and she grumbled "asshole" while stifling a smile.

"My _point_ is…I could perhaps see them being afraid at first, but, well…the way I feel at least…" she sighed. "It's hard to explain…but when I look at you—in either form—I can just _feel_ it's you, and while you incite many emotions in me, fear isn't one of them."

"Yeah?" he growled as his warm, wet lips nipped and sucked the tender skin below her ear. "You incite something in me too…" he breathed while pressing his rapidly hardening length against the soft, plumpness of her ass.

She laughed and playfully shoved him away while sliding off the bed, her eyes dancing with amusement as she looked back at him. She patted her thighs as she got to the door. "Come on boy!" she called as one would to a favored labrador. He narrowed his eyes and she whistled. "Outside, go potty?"

When he launched himself from the bed with a growl, she shrieked in laughter and shot out the door and down the hall. "Rudy!" she screamed while hiding behind his baffled looking form with a giggle. "Save me!"

It only took one look at his brother's face to figure out what was going on. He held up his hands as Bella clutched the back of his shirt and maneuvered him to keep his now evilly smirking brother at bay. "Huh uh, no fuckin' way am I getting in-between you two. You pissed him off B, now you save yourself."

Thirty minutes and a fresh change of clothes later, a scowling Bella walked Paul and Rudy to the front door. Paul turned to her, trying his best to stifle a smirk. Rudy however, had no such intentions and was grinning widely. Paul sighed. "B, come on, I said I was sorry…"

She huffed. "I told you to stop tickling me," she groused and glared at him. "I _begged_ and in plenty of time to get to a bathroom too, but did you? Nooo…you just had to keep going…"

"Kinda serves ya right for that "outside, go potty" comment..." Paul muttered and she glared.

Rudy looked over at the clock. "Come on, we gotta bounce, otherwise we're gonna be late to meet the leeches." He shot a grin at Bella and she narrowed her eyes at what she suspected was coming.

"Who knows? After the meeting, we might even have time to pick up some nappies for B." He cackled and shot out the front door, Bella's punch just missing his bicep.

"Jerk," she grumbled as Paul pulled her into a hug. Problem was, his whole upper body was now shaking with suppressed laughter as he tucked his face into her neck. She rolled her eyes. "Get it all outta your system because I hear a peep about this after tonight, I'm fitting you both with shock collars."

He chuckled and nipped the mark on her neck. "Kinky baby, but I'm too much of an Alpha to have a Mistress, sorry."

She pulled away and smirked. "That's where the shock part comes in…training."

He growled and pulled her flush, his eyes flashing amber as his instincts flared with the perceived challenge. "You could try my mate," he answered in a low, gritty-smooth voice as she shivered deliciously. "I look forward to the challenge." His lips covered hers then and she moaned as his tongue swept past her lips to tangle and taste, the kiss fierce and passionate as her hands mapped out his muscled chest.

He smirked at her when he finally drew back to see her eyes still closed, her breath leaving her in shallow pants. "Damn," she breathed as her eyes finally blinked open to stare at his smug expression. "How the hell do you do that to me every time?" she finished with a half-hearted glare.

His smirk grew until that certain dimple she loved showed itself and she smiled. "Arrogant bastard," she chuckled and he smacked her ass just as Rudy call out an impatient, "Jesus you two, break it up already!"

"Go," she said while pushing him toward the open door. "I'll see you when you get back."

He pecked her lips one last time and jogged out the door and down the steps. "Just wait until you find 'the one' bro," Paul said while giving Rudy a shove. "I'm gonna dish so much shit your way dude…"

Bella leaned against the open door and watched as they both disappeared into the trees, a warm smile curving her lips. God, but she loved him, she thought with a happy sigh. Never in a million years did she think she'd ever love someone so much…

She was just about to close the door and find something to do when a glow from the woods drew her attention, but it wasn't just the glow… It was the pull she felt within… A pull that, after a moment of resistance, tugged at her even more insistently. "Oh hell," she murmured. "Why not…"

Closing the door behind her with a click, she padded down the steps, through the yard and into the trees. As she drew closer to the glow, she could see a certain cluster lit up with a soft, white light and her breath caught as she spied two pure white wolves directly in the middle, just sitting there, side by side.

These weren't the wolves she was used to though—they were the size of normal wolves, their eyes an icy blue—they were breathtaking… "Hello there," she murmured cautiously, one hand held out as she slowly approached. She came to a stop though as one rose to pad over to her where it circled her twice before yipping and bumping her hand with its muzzle.

She smiled and ran her fingers through its thick fur just as its companion joined them, snuffling and bumping her leg as she chuckled and petted it too.

Dropping down to kneel, she laughed softly as they nuzzled and chuffed at her neck before nudging her to lick at her cheek and chin while she scratched behind their ears.

She couldn't quite believe they were wild wolves with the way they were acting, but there were no collars on them and she just had a feeling… Somewhere, deep inside her—the very same place where she felt her silver wolf—she felt their essence—their souls—and she knew they were free and only here because they wanted to be.

Amazing her yet again, they both dropped down on the leafy forest floor, baring their bellies to her as her eyes widened. She didn't know much about wolf behavior, but she knew this was a show of trust and respect on their part. Needless to say, she was awed by these majestic animals as she rubbed and scratched the bellies of what she could now see was a male and female pair.

"So, are you two a thing?" she questioned with a fond chuckle as they rolled playfully on their backs as she scratched.

"They are," a wizened, slightly familiar voice responded, causing Bella to jump as the two wolves gained their feet, immediately alert, although completely quiet as they watched the old indian woman from the Pow Wow approach.

"You…" Bella breathed as she rose to stand, her eyes wide in disbelief. "How…?"

The old woman just smiled and took a seat on a fallen tree as she gestured to the space in front of her. "Come child…sit. I have much to share with you before your wolf returns."

**Your thoughts? Still enjoying the story? Let me hear from you, yeah?**

**'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	22. Chapter 22

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and any original characters therein. No copyright infringement intended.

A/N: Another installment... This is turning out to be a long fic! Still lots to go! Hope you're all still with me and enjoying it! Y'all be sure and let me know if I'm not keeping it interesting, yeah? My thanks to those who take the time to review! You guys keep me going, truly. ~Spudz

* * *

_Previously:_

_"You…" Bella breathed as she rose to stand, her eyes wide in disbelief. "How…?"_

_The old woman just smiled and took a seat on a fallen tree as she gestured to the space in front of her. "Come child…sit. I have much to share with you before your wolf returns."_

* * *

**Chapter 22**

Jasper Whitlock gave an affectionate squeeze to his nervous mate's hand as they trailed the rest of their adopted family, with the exception of Esme, into the clearing.

They were there to meet with the local shifter pack and Alice had been on edge for most of the day. He supposed it was to be expected though as she'd admitted to being unable to 'see' around the wolves and he knew from long experience, if anything messed with her visions, she got this way.

"Would you like some help, darlin'?" he asked discreetly and she answered with a subtle nod as they lined up alongside the others. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he infused her with serenity and she relaxed into his hold with a grateful sigh as Carlisle glanced at them with a fond smile.

Jasper nodded back to him and watched as Carlisle then directed his attention to his first childe and his human mate, his brow creasing in concern as he observed the obviously shaken girl.

He'd laid down the law to Edward earlier that day. Consequently, the boy had finally revealed to Angela what they all are and it hadn't gone well, to put it mildly. The girl had been shaky and frightened since.

It had only been Edward, Carlisle and Esme in the room with the girl at the time, but the rest of them had been in the house so it was impossible to miss the racing heart and the cloying scent of fear that had eventually wafted up to tempt him.

Alice had to get very creative to keep his mind occupied with other things when he'd gotten a whiff of that old familiar and very intoxicating scent. It was like blood in the water to a hungry shark and he'd wanted to pursue the hunt in the worst way… Just the memory of it combined with what the girl was still emitting was enough to drag an involuntary growl from him and he literally felt Edward tense.

"Jasper, please son," Carlisle murmured. "I need you here…we need you here…" he entreated and Jasper moved as far from the fearful human as he could while cutting his breathing off completely. _'Damn it Edward…You'd better get your shit straight and get that girl changed before I decide to do it for ya.'_ He shot the mind reader a narrow-eyed glance and the boy scowled but nodded while pulling the tense girl close to his side.

Jasper smirked darkly while Alice hugged herself close to his side. The boy knew better than to fuck with him. Carlisle might be the figure-head, but when it came to laying down the law, they all knew what Jasper said went and nobody opposed him, not on anything so vital. He'd managed to keep them all safe and out of trouble all these years, even when he'd had to kick the brat's ass a few times to do it. It wouldn't be any different this time either.

He was pulled from his thoughts by a wave of pure revulsion that had just begun to tickle the edge of his gift when Edward murmured, "They're close, I can hear their thoughts."

Carlisle nodded and they all focused on the tree-line where they expected the pack to emerge. When they did, they all heard a frightened whimper from the human girl before Edward shushed her with whispered reassurances. "It's all right love. I'm here and I'll always protect you."

Jasper projected a shot of humor at that and Edward spared him a petulant glare before focusing back on the pack.

Carlisle stepped forward to greet the Alpha who stood in human form in the middle of the row of four other wolves while Jasper focused on the wolf he considered to be his counterpart; the massive silver wolf standing to the extreme left of the group. They locked gazes and Jasper inclined his head in respect. To his fleeting surprise, the silver wolf returned the gesture.

"Sam," Carlisle greeted the stoic shifter.

"Dr. Cullen," he returned. "I see you brought the human girl. Let's discuss her, shall we? What are your intentions with her?"

Carlisle sighed. He knew this could be a major point of contention with their treaty but there was just no other way around it. He was going to have to be blunt. "She is my son's mate and now knows exactly what we are. Consequently, she must be turned in accordance with our laws."

The wolves in line snarled and yipped until Sam held up a hand while still holding the blond vampire's gaze. "And the treaty? If you do this thing, you will be in violation which would free us to attack."

Jasper felt Edward's anger spike a second before they all heard him growl. "Edward!" Carlisle admonished sharply with a glare which quieted the teen vampire. "Mind your temper or I'll send you home."

"Yes sir," he grumbled and Jasper stifled a smirk…sort of. He really had trouble when he felt amusement coming from the silver wolf who chuffed in something that resembled laughter.

"While I understand your people's feelings on the matter," Carlisle continued, "...my son has finally found his mate. It's my understanding that your pack has a similar phenomenon with regards to mating, is that correct?"

The Alpha crossed his arms over his massive chest as his brow pinched. "If you mean finding 'the one' or a soul mate bond, then yes we do."

Carlisle nodded. "My son has heard as much from your thoughts…the irresistible pull…the everlasting soul bond…it's all very similar for us when we find our mate. Needless to say, it's a very compelling force…one that literally drives us to bond. It's to this very nature that we appeal to you for leniency in this matter. It's not as though we're asking to feed from humans. We are asking for your understanding in this once-in-a-lifetime matter. She must be turned to comply with the laws of our kind. If this does not happen, it will eventually come to the attention of our rulers who will take it upon themselves to resolve the issue. That will bring them here and believe me when I say, you do not want such a thing to happen. They are ruthless and they feed, unapologetically, from humans."

A wave of malevolence came from the growling shifters and Jasper fought it back with a wave of calm while Sam snarled at a stoic Carlisle. "I cannot allow you to create another leech and you agreed to these terms! Now you want to change them? Not acceptable, doctor."

Carlisle nodded regretfully. "I understand your reluctance and to be honest, I share it, but mating is a rare thing and one we couldn't possibly foresee happening here in this place or time. After all, it's taken him almost a century to find her." He looked imploringly at the steadfast Alpha, his hands held out to his sides. "How could we possibly predict this? You know the pull yourself; he cannot ignore it!"

The sound of a truck pulling up very nearby caught their attention and Sam turned to Jacob. "Go see who that is," he ordered. "It might be an elder." The russet wolf spun and took off and the Alpha turned back to Carlisle with a curled lip. "While your appeal _tugs_ my heartstrings, the answer is still no. Our people have held to our part of the treaty, no matter how repulsive we found it to be and so it's only fair that you now hold to your part, no matter how difficult. I would say I'm sorry, but I am not."

"Damn you disgusting beasts! You can't deny me my mate!" Edward finally yelled, unable to keep himself in check at the thought of being denied.

"Edward! Be quiet!" Carlisle snapped but Edward snarled while Angela whimpered and struggled to push away from him. He didn't seem to notice her distress, but Jasper did.

"Shit," he muttered while flooding the girl with lethargy. "Go get her from him sugar," he murmured to Alice. "He's losin' his shit and might hurt her without even knowin' it." She nodded and flitted to Edward's side.

"Edward, let me take care of Ang while you work this out, okay?" she asked gently and only then did he focus on the sobbing girl in his arms. He let go instantly and she threw herself into Alice's embrace where she sagged from the effects of Jasper's gift.

"Oh god," Edward moaned while clutching his hair. "I can't lose her Carlisle!" he muttered lowly as his father gripped his shoulder.

"Edward, I need to you calm yourself. This isn't helping, now pull yourself together. They're still here…we're all still talking this out and as long as that's the case, there's still hope," he admonished while holding his son's gaze. Edward finally calmed with a liberal dose of Jasper's help and nodded.

"You're right. I'm sorry."

Carlisle held his gaze. "You ready to continue?"

"Yes," he said on a heavy exhale. "I'm in control."

"Good," he said and turned once again to the Alpha who was watching all this with a raised brow.

"My apologies Alpha but this is a very emotional subject to my son. I ask that you try to put yourself in his place for just a moment."

"That is difficult to do doctor… I still have a pulse."

To Jasper's surprise, he felt a wave of anger come from the normally sedate blond. "Fine then. I ask that you imagine someone threatening to take your mate from you…"

The response from all of the wolves was immediate as hackles rose along with their volume while Sam brought himself to his full height, his eyes flashing dangerously as his nostrils flared. "Was that a threat leech?"

"Oh for the love of god!" a very familiar female voice called out. The silver wolf spun toward it with a growl as all kinds of swear words filtered through his thoughts. What the fuck was she doing here?! He was gonna wear her ass out for this later!

Bella hurried to place herself in the middle of the opposing groups and she eyed her snarling mate briefly before turning to glare at Sam. "Has anyone asked Angela what it is she wants?" She looked between the two leaders who both remained silent and she scoffed. "She is a person with a voice you know? I say it's about time we heard it."

"I agree," said Billy Black as his half-naked son wheeled him into the clearing. "It's important to know where the human stands on this issue. It's impossible to make a decision without hearing from her."

Sam tensed. "It is not!" he protested. "The treaty states…" He trailed off as Bella cut him off.

"Take the giant stick outta your ass for a few minutes, would you Sam? Is this hill really worth dying on? You can't possibly know that unless you ask her," she said while pointing at Angela. "You really gonna go to war without even knowing if the person you're protecting even wants your protection?"

"Spoken like a true pale-face…" he sneered. "No longer like the terms…just renegotiate…"

Bella's eyes flashed with anger as she faced the enraged Alpha until Billy wheeled himself between them. "That was uncalled for Alpha and we'll be having words about it later," he said, his tone cold as he took Bella's hand. "For now…" he turned to face Carlisle, "…please bring the girl forward so she may speak for herself."

Carlisle turned and looked at Alice who nodded and coaxed Angela away from her shoulder. "It's time for you to speak up now sweetie. Are you up to it?" she asked gently as Angela straightened her back and set her shoulders while sniffling.

Finally, with a sharp nod, she turned and walked toward Bella who smiled softly. "Don't be swayed by anything or anyone here Ang. Just tell them what's in your heart. Your wishes will be respected, no matter your decision."

"You can't make such a statement!" Sam snapped at Bella. "You have no such authority!"

"She speaks sensibly and will be listened to in this case," Billy intoned, his voice laced with the power of the tribal Chief and Sam backed down, albeit grudgingly.

"Fine," he said while tossing a hand in disgust. "Go ahead then."

Angela smiled hesitantly at Bella. "Thank you," she said timidly before looking at Billy.

"Go on child," he encouraged. "What are your wishes in this matter? Do you desire to become the vampire's mate? Do you understand all that you would be giving up? Most important of all, you need to know that if you choose not to, we will protect you. Never feel that you don't have a choice."

She smiled gratefully. "I understand. Thank you," she said as she paused and took a big breath. When she blew it out, she continued. "I've known for a while now there was something very…different about Edward and his family, but after being with him for the past few months, I came to realize that whatever it was didn't change how I felt about him." She turned to look back at him briefly before turning back to speak directly to Billy and the Alpha. "I love him. And while I admit that hearing earlier today just how different he is—what he is—was shocking and more than a bit scary, I still love him just as much. Now, am I ready to trade this life for an immortal one?" She shrugged. "I can't really answer that question yet. It's a huge decision and one I don't care to make lightly and it's only been posed to me hours ago. So, I guess what I'm saying is, I would like some time, if that's possible."

"Of course it is," Billy conceded with a nod. "And you're very wise to think carefully on such a thing. You would be giving up every other person in your life that's dear to you as well as the ability to have children…"

"Not to mention becoming a blood-sucking leech…" Sam said with a curled lip.

Angela glared at him. "I happen to love one of them more than I've ever loved anyone before, so your pointing that little tidbit out really doesn't sway me, thanks."

He sneered at her but kept silent.

Billy sighed. "Well, we await your decision then Miss Weber." He glanced between the two leaders. "Now, I believe you had other issues to discuss?" he asked as Angela returned to stand with Alice.

Sam gave a sharp nod and brought up the red-eyed vamps. "It's our understanding they were after Miss Weber…" he said and Angela gasped while looking at Carlisle with fear-widened eyes.

He sighed and nodded. "Yes, this is what my son read from their thoughts the night your pack destroyed one of them and injured another. We're certain they'll be back."

"Oh god," Angela moaned. "My family! What if they get to them?"

Edward pulled her into his arms. "Shh, love. We're going to protect you. Esme is guarding them now. We won't let anything happen to any of you."

Rosalie scoffed. "Way to just volunteer the family…" she muttered and Carlisle shot her a dark look.

"Rose," he scolded. "She is Edward's mate, therefore part of the family. We will protect her and by extension, her family."

Rosalie snarled. "I didn't sign up for any of this bullshit just because Edward wants to play with a human…"

"Rosalie!" Carlisle snapped. "This isn't up for discussion. It will be done." His tone softened. "It won't last forever. Only until we take care of the problem."

She crossed her arms over her chest and looked away as Emmett tried to soothe her with whispered words. "Whatever…" she finally muttered and Carlisle turned his attention back to the Alpha.

"We give you permission to come onto our territory while we try to eliminate this threat…" Sam nodded and Carlisle continued. "In return, we ask that you extend the same courtesy to us in the event of a chase. We will not hunt on your lands…" he said, his voice rising to overcome the growls and protests from the wolves. "…but we would like the leeway to pursue these nomads if they cross the treaty line."

Sam held up a hand to silence his pack. "My first instinct is to deny such a request," he said while glancing at Billy who gave a subtle shake of his head. "…but I believe it's in all our best interests to establish a measure of…trust…" The rest of the pack erupted in loud growls at this. "Enough!" Sam snapped and they quieted with the exception of the silver wolf who continued growling menacingly as he paced, his eyes locked on the mind-reader.

Billy turned toward him. "I understand why you're not happy with this Paul, but we must work together to eliminate this threat…"

The silver wolf shimmered and changed back to his human form before snarling an answer. "You ask that we trust a leech who's already proven to be unworthy of trust?! He went after my mate in her bedroom for fuck's sake! Now you ask that I just accept giving him permission to come onto our lands?! I will not!" He turned to look at the mind-reader. "You step one toe over that treaty line and your ass is mine, you hear me? I don't give a shit what is said here tonight!"

Edward hissed and would have lunged had Jasper and Emmett not grabbed his arms. "I'll do whatever I must to protect my mate!" He yelled while baring his teeth.

"Yeah?" Paul asked with a chilling smile. "So will I." He turned to Billy. "I'll extend the courtesy to the others in their 'family'…" he spat in distaste. "But my word stands on the pussy mind-raper. If I see him on our lands, I will end him."

Carlisle shot a harsh look at his growling son, effectively shutting him up before sighing in resignation. "Chief Black, we agree to those terms. My son Edward will not cross the treaty line…for any reason."

"Carlisle!" Edward began to protest until Jasper smacked him solidly on the back of his head.

"Now ain't the time boy," he growled lowly. "Shut your mouth and deal with the consequences of your previous idiotic actions."

Carlisle nodded to Jasper and turned back to the Chief. "You have our word. We will see to Edward. He will not violate your decision Alpha Paul."

Paul heard the blond doctor but locked his gaze with the only leech he had any measure of respect for, the scarred honey-blond who now met his gaze calmly and inclined his head. The message was clear between them and served to satisfy him. With that, he phased back to his wolf form and continued pacing.

Billy nodded his thanks. "This is acceptable," he said with a sigh. Despite everything, he understood Paul's reluctance to trust the mind-reader.

"Very well," Carlisle concluded. "There will be two of us guarding Angela's home at all times until the nomads are taken care of. We'll alternate shifts. Would it be all right to give my children your contact numbers?"

Billy and Sam exchanged a look and Billy nodded. "That sounds reasonable to me."

"Good," Carlisle said. "I thank you."

"If that is all?" Billy asked while glancing between the opposing leaders who both nodded.

"Until the human makes her decision, there's nothing more to discuss," Sam affirmed and Billy nodded grimly while motioning to his son. "Then we'll be on our way. Goodnight Dr. Cullen and thank you for meeting with us."

"It was our pleasure Chief Black. Thank you for your timely intervention."

Billy smiled. "You have Bella to thank for that. She showed up insisting our help was needed to keep the peace in this meeting and wouldn't leave me alone until I agreed." He scowled at her affectionately. "I'm even missing the game!"

Carlisle smiled at the blushing girl and gave a small bow. "You have my gratitude for your persistence Miss Swan."

"No problem," she muttered but gasped the next second when she was swept up into the trembling arms of her enraged mate.

"Oh, it's a problem all right," he growled as he walked off into the trees with her. "A very big fuckin' problem."

**Your thoughts? 'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	23. Chapter 23

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and any original characters therein. No copyright infringement intended.

A/N: Hi all. For some strange reason, I had one hell of a time with this chapter. I wanted to show Paul's anger and temper, but didn't want to turn him into an asshole, ya know? Hope I accomplished that. You all let me know, yeah? Hopefully, I'm over the part that was hanging me up and the following chapters will flow. ~Spudz

P.S. This story has been nominated in the 2015 Fanatic Fanfics Awards in two categories. If you like the story and are so inclined, I would appreciate your votes! Polls open 31 May and close 14 June. My thanks and love!

* * *

_Previously:_

_"No problem," she muttered but gasped the next second when she was swept up into the trembling arms of her enraged mate._

_"Oh, it's a problem all right," he growled as he walked off into the trees with her. "A very big fuckin' problem."_

* * *

_~o0o~_

**Chapter 23**

Bella looked into her mate's face as he carried her to his truck and laid her head against his shoulder with a quiet sigh. She knew trying to speak to him at the moment wouldn't go well, so she remained silent.

When they got there, Jacob had already helped Billy into the truck and was loading his folded chair into the back. When he'd done that, he turned to Paul. "I'm gonna run back, but thanks for taking my dad home."

Paul set Bella on the seat and grunted a response until Bella glared at him. He glared back but turned to the kid. "Yeah, sure man. No problem," he muttered and Jake nodded and jogged into the trees. When he was gone, Paul turned back to Bella with his hand held out. "Keys," he snapped and she dug them from her pocket with a sigh.

"Here ya go," she said as she dangled them out to him and he hopped in and snatched them from her hand.

She scowled. "Ya know…" she began but he cut her off.

"Not now Isabella," he seethed. "Just…not…now," he reiterated as his glowing amber gaze met and held hers for a moment.

"Okay," she muttered and he turned away and started the truck.

The tension was thick for the entire drive back to the reservation, so much so that Billy didn't even utter a word until Jacob had helped him out of the truck and into his chair after they'd arrived. "Paul, Bella, thank you and we'll see you later."

Bella gave him a wan smile and a wave. "See ya Billy, see ya Jake."

"See ya Bella," Jake muttered as he closed the truck door and Paul wasted no time getting back onto the road.

"Okay, we're alone now. You wanna talk about it?" she asked as she crossed her arms over her chest. "I mean, I know why you're upset, but I had a good reason…"

He barely spared her a glance, the muscles of his jaw flexing before he spoke. "Yeah, and I had a good reason for asking you to stay at home but it didn't seem to matter!" he ground out while trying to rein in his fury.

She frowned and nodded while trying to figure out how to broach the subject. Before she could, he spoke again.

"Look," he snapped. "I'm not gonna get into this with you right now Bella," he said as his hand trembled lightly before clenching into a fist on top of the armrest. "I'm barely—I can't—when I think about the risk you just took…"

She jumped as he slammed his hand against the top of the wheel while his whole body began trembling.

"Baby," she murmured in concern while sliding closer to him.

"Don't!" he snapped while holding her at a distance with his free hand. He glanced at her and her breath caught at the haunted look in his eyes. "I don't ever want to hurt you B…and I feel like I could right now." His fist clenched again and his jaw tensed before he clarified. "Not on purpose B…" He glanced at her. "Never on purpose, but the wolf—he wants out and I'm barely controlling it right now. Please…please stay over there," he said while pulling into their driveway.

She slid back toward the passenger side and stayed there for a moment, just looking at him. He was tense and trembling, that haunted look still in his eyes and although she didn't know for sure what put it there, she could make a good guess; he was afraid of becoming anything like his father and just the thought that he could doubt himself in such a way angered her.

"You would never hurt me Paul—_he_ would never hurt me either," she stated calmly. His response was a bitter laugh as he pinned her with that searing amber gaze.

"Really? Because after what you've done, all I can think of is punishing you for going against what we agreed on—the wolf is all but fucking demanding it and that scares the hell outta me." He slid over and nipped at her neck as a low growl rumbled from his chest, his amber eyes glowing. "You're my mate and you disobeyed," his roughened voice breathed out next to her ear. "He wants you punished."

Chills of arousal raced over her skin and she met his eyes with a raised chin, her eyes flashing in challenge. "I trust you—_both_ of you" she stated with certainty before opening the door and hopping down.

She marched into the house and didn't bother closing any doors as she knew he was close behind. When she reached their room, she sat on the bed and waited as he stalked in and closed the door. He paced and growled for a few moments before turning to her. "Why did you break your word and come to the clearing?"

She held his furious gaze calmly. "I had my reasons," was all she said. She'd disclose all later but she knew now wasn't the time. He and his wolf were too angry at the perceived defiance. She knew, instinctively, he wouldn't be receptive until his wolf was satisfied with having asserted himself. She would give him that because it's what he needed. It was part of being an Alpha wolf's mate and she accepted it. She wasn't sure how she knew this, how she understood it, but she did. She didn't see it as a weakness either, but rather a strength.

He snarled and paced some more as he threw occasional glances at her. She could see that he was fighting his wolf and she frowned. She knew his hesitation was because he didn't trust himself or his wolf and that had to stop. It was vital, she knew, that he embrace his wolf fully and not only that but trust himself in either form and this hesitation—this doubt—was a weakness their enemies would exploit if given the chance. Knowing what had to happen, she took a deep breath and prepared to help him along.

Before she could make a move however, he spun toward her. "That's it?" he seethed. "That's all you have to say about it?!"

_'Well, this makes things easier,'_ she thought as she shot to her feet and got in his face. "Yes," she hissed, her eyes narrowed as she stared him down while mentally bracing for the words she was about to say. "We may be together, but _you don't own me_," she asserted while poking him in the chest.

That did it and before she could blink, she was pinned to the bed as he growled lowly, his extended canines poised just over her mark. "That's where you're wrong B," he growled out as goosebumps raced over her skin at his show of dominance.

Still, it wasn't enough, he was still holding back so she pushed against his chest while looking into those flashing eyes, her challenge clear as she spoke. "I don't think I am and I'll do what I want, when I want."

His nostrils flared and without another word, he lifted her, sat down, placed her face down over his lap and began swatting her ass. After a few swats, he began speaking. "Guess what baby girl? You are mine and I'm gonna make sure you stay safe whether you like it or not!" She gasped at a particularly sharp swat as her mind caught up with what was happening. When it did, she squirmed and clenched her thighs together, thoroughly shocked by her body's reaction. She was becoming aroused and she bit her lip to stifle a moan. _'Fuck,'_ she thought. _'Who knew I was such a kinky bitch?'_ Just such a thought had a giggle bubbling up before she could stop it despite the fact that he was still smacking away at her ass and her shoulders shook with it even though she'd stifled the sound.

He froze at the movement. "Bella?" he murmured before yanking her to his chest where he tucked her head under his chin. "Oh god baby, did I hurt you? I'm sorry…I'm sorry…I didn't mean to…"

Her shoulders continued to shake, but for entirely different reasons than he feared and she fought to control herself before answering him. "Bella, please say something," he pleaded while tilting her chin up with gentle fingers. When she met his worried gaze, eyes filled with amusement as she finally giggled aloud, his eyes widened. "You're…laughing?" he asked incredulously as his brows inched up.

She snorted and that caused her to laugh in earnest as she leaned against him. "I'm sorry," she choked out through her amusement.

He scowled but continued to hold her. "I'm glad this amuses you," he grumbled. "Fuck… I was so scared I'd hurt you and here you are laughing…"

She pushed him back onto the bed and straddled him with a grin. "I'm sorry baby," she coo'ed as he glared. "It's just…well, you weren't hitting very hard to begin with—well, except for that one swat…that one stung a bit…" she rambled and his lip curled in a silent snarl. "Anyway," she continued as he scowled. "…as you…spanked me…" she said, her tone turning seductive as she leaned down to place open-mouthed kisses just below his ear, "…I came to realize I enjoyed what you were doing," she whispered. "It was…hot…" she sucked lightly at his ear lobe, "…and made me realize that I might be just a bit…kinky," she finished while grinding against the growing bulge in his shorts. She raised her head to meet his narrowed gaze.

"And this was funny…how?" he questioned skeptically while his hands grasped her hips. He gave her a little thrust and she stifled a moan while biting her lip. "Because I never knew…" she whispered as she leaned back down and kissed the corner of his lips. "…never suspected such a thing would make me…" She trailed off with a moan as he buried both hands in her hair and pulled her into a punishing kiss while thrusting his hard cock against her wet center.

In one quick move, he had her pinned beneath him while his hands grasped her shirt. With one sharp tug, he tore the garment from her body and she moaned as he leaned down to nuzzle the valley between her breasts. "God, your scent…it makes me fuckin' crazy…" he muttered while deftly flicking the clasp of her bra open.

She sucked in a breath as his mouth closed over one taut peak and she buried her hands in his raven hair while arching into him. "Oh god Paul…" she muttered as the heel of his hand firmly rubbed her aching center. "More please…" she begged and he released her breast with a low growl.

Working quickly, he removed her pants and panties and she stared down at him as his hands glided up her legs, parting them gently as he went. When they fell open completely, he breathed deeply as those amber eyes met hers. "Mine," he growled before leaning down to place open-mouthed kisses up the inside of her thigh.

She squirmed and bucked her hips and he stilled her with his hands just as he reached her aching center. "Paul," she panted. "Please…"

With a smirk, he parted her folds and sucked in her aching clit while sliding two long fingers into her slick passage. She arched and rocked against his face while he worked her mercilessly, his fingers plunging and curling to massage her g-spot while his tongue flicked over her sensitive bud.

Raising his head, he met her desperate gaze as his fingers continued to fuck her. "Who do you belong to?" he demanded and she tossed her head and growled, refusing to give in as her walls began to tighten and flutter with the beginnings of an orgasm.

He withdrew his fingers and she cried out at the loss. "Damn it, no, don't stop!" she groaned before scowling down at him. "I was so close…" He smirked and leaned down to circle her clit with the tip of his tongue, that heated amber gaze still locked with hers. She whimpered. She needed more and she was damn sure he knew it too. "Stop teasing!" she hissed.

He raised his head, one inky brow cocked and that infuriating smirk firmly in place as his fingers slid back into her, slowly, giving her what she wanted, and yet not; keeping her just on the edge, but never delivering enough to reach her peak. "Who do you belong to sweetheart?" he purred lowly and her head thrashed back and forth as she buried her hands in her hair in frustration. "Me…I belong to myself!" she ground out, determined to hold out; to not give in so easily…

She almost smirked as he growled, those amber eyes flashing with his mounting temper. "Wrong answer my mate…" his deepened voice growled as he flipped her over. Almost before she could register the movement, he drew her hips up and mounted her from behind, the feel of his cock filling and stretching her taking her breath away.

"Yessss," she hissed as he fucked her with firm, deep strokes, his pace not slow, but neither fast enough to fulfill. After some moments of this, she glared over her shoulder. "Faster…" she demanded. He merely grinned wickedly and kept his pace the same as the sweet tension slowly built within her.

She arched and slammed herself back into his next thrust, hissing out in shocked surprise when she felt the sting of a sharp swat on her ass. "Behave," he reprimanded sharply as she clenched around his relentlessly plunging cock. God, this was sweet torture and the bastard knew it! While she loved it, it pissed her off in equal measure for some reason and she resolved to do something about it.

Reaching down with one hand, she felt where they were joined. Gathering some of the slickness there, she'd just begun to circle her swollen clit when he hissed and pulled her up against his chest. Grabbing both of her hands in one of his, he held her there as he nipped the mark on her neck. "You will finish only when I let you," he ground out next to her ear, his every word punctuated by a firm thrust.

Her breath caught and she rolled her head back onto his shoulder with a moan. "Paul…please…" she begged, the ache in her center bordering on painful the longer he denied her.

"We've been over this!" he said while increasing the power behind his strokes, the angle he fucked her at now hitting that torturous spot with each solid snap of his hips. "Who do you belong to?" he demanded.

She now cried out each time he slammed into her, her body teetering on the edge that she just couldn't seem to fall over… She needed…something… A little more speed…a flick against her clit…something!

She tried working a hand loose and he nipped her mark sharply, drawing a whimper of longing from her. "No," he growled. "You'll come from my cock alone, and only when I say…now, tell me! Who do you belong to?"

Turning her head, she nipped and sucked at his lips as he plunged into her relentlessly, his free hand deliciously squeezing her breast while his fingertips rolled and plucked at her sensitive nipple. "You…" she finally relented against his glistening lips as their hot breath mingled between kisses. "I belong to you," she moaned as her hand snaked up to tangle in his hair. "Always have and always will…"

Upon hearing those words, he splayed one hand over her belly while increasing his pace and she groaned at the feel of him—his luscious lips against hers…his firmly muscled body wrapped around hers and most of all, his slick, hard cock mastering her from inside…  
It was all so much…too much, and she screamed his name as she felt her consciousness narrow before spiraling out in a tremendous burst of ecstasy. Her body clamped down in wave after wave of pleasure while he seized and filled her with a grunt, his descended canines sinking into her mark as his cock pulsed powerfully inside her.

He loosed his bite and held her for moments, placing feather light kisses along her neck and shoulder as she slowly came back to herself. When she had, she raised her head and looked at him while caressing his cheek with one hand. "Are you and your wolf ready to talk now?" she asked with a tiny smile.

He laid her on the bed gently and stretched out next to her while tracing her face with his fingertips. "Yeah," he murmured.

"Tell me... What happened."

**Your thoughts? 'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	24. Chapter 24

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and any original characters therein. No copyright infringement intended.

* * *

**"Breathe In Union" nominated in the 2015 Fanatic Fanfics Awards in two categories. Polls open 31 May and your votes would be greatly appreciated! Also, if you nominated my story, thanks and love to you! ~Spudz**

* * *

**P.S. Wolf speak is in _bold italics._**

_Previously:_

_"Are you and your wolf ready to talk now?" she asked with a tiny smile._

_He laid her on the bed gently and stretched out next to her while tracing her face with his fingertips. "Yeah," he murmured. "Tell me... What happened?"_

* * *

~o0o~

**Chapter 24**

"Well," she muttered while taking his hand. "You remember that old woman I told you about when we first met?"

His brow creased. "Back in Arizona, at the Pow Wow?"

"Yeah," she answered with a smile. "That's the one."

"Sure, I remember you telling me about her, but what does that have to do with you blowing me off and coming to the meeting?"

She shot him an exasperated glare. "I'm getting to that."

He rolled his eyes. "Is this gonna be a long story B, because I'm kinda hungry and I'd hate to starve to death while you get to the point," he finished with a smirk.

Quick as lightning, she reached out and pinched his nipple and he hissed. "Okay! Shit, I'm sorry!"

She turned loose with a smirk while he glared and rubbed his chest. "Vicious woman," he grumbled.

"As I was _saying_…" she said in a higher tone and he rolled his hand in the air.

"I'm listening."

"After you and Rudy left for the meeting, I saw a glow coming from the woods and went to check it out."

He shot up and glared at her. "You did what?! Jesus B, what if it had been a leech? How could you be so…" He cut himself off when she glared at him.

"Don't say something that we'll both regret Paul."

He clenched his fists before blowing out a breath as he ran his hands through his hair.

"Look," she said, her tone low and soothing as she placed a hand on his shoulder. "Jared and Embry were patrolling, they would have known if a vampire…"

"They're not infallible Bella!" he cut her off as he stood and slipped into his discarded shorts. He turned and glared at her. "They can make mistakes or miss something until it's too late." He leaned down on the bed, his face inches from hers as he growled out his next sentence. "Can you at least try to keep yourself safe? Will you please use your head for fuck's sake?" He punched the mattress before whirling away to pace to the window. "Fuck!" he yelled before putting a fist through the glass.

Bella gasped and covered her mouth with a hand as she stared at Paul's tense back before grabbing the sheet to cover herself as their door burst open.

"What the fuck's going on?!" Rudy looked frantic as he glanced between the two in the room. "I heard shouting and glass breaking…" he said weakly as Paul shot a glare at him over his shoulder. "I thought maybe a leech got to you…" he finished with a shrug.

Bella wiped a few tears from her cheeks and shook her head. She was surprised by them as she hadn't realized she'd shed them. "No D, no vampires, just us." She met his worried gaze with a wan smile. "We're just talking some things out. We'll be fine."

His brow creased as he looked between Bella and his brother's tense form. "Talking…sure," he said as he grabbed the door knob. "I'll just…" he motioned into the hall. "…be out here if you need me."

Bella smiled. "Thanks D."

He nodded, shot one last look at his brother's back and left, closing the door quietly.

Bella sagged and rested her face against her raised knees. "That went well," she murmured before raising her head to look at Paul. "Are you calm now? Wanna try this again, like adults this time?"

She flipped back the sheet and rose from the bed. "Look," she said as she dug some sleepwear from the dresser drawer. "I'm going to get dressed and get the first aid kit for your hand. Then I'm going to patch you up, get some food in you and then we'll continue this talk."

Once dressed, she marched into the bathroom and came out moments later with a box in her hands. He glanced at her and she pointed to the bed. "Sit," she ordered. "And no, that wasn't a dog joke. I'm just pissed at you right now and don't feel like being nice," she grumbled as he walked over and sat on the bed without a word.

"Hand," she demanded while spreading a towel over his lap. He set his hand, palm side down on the towel and she began picking glass out of the cuts. When she was through, she poured antiseptic over it and he hissed. "Does it hurt?" she questioned while screwing the cap back on the medicine. He nodded. "Good," she said while avoiding his gaze. "You earned it."

He rolled his eyes and looked away while she wrapped his hand in gauze. "Okay," she said as she put everything away. "Now you go get what you need to clean up all that glass while I make you something to eat. I'll call you when it's done." She turned and left the room and his shoulders sagged as he ran a hand over his face. He knew he'd fucked up, but he still felt he had the right to be pissed.

Standing with a sigh, he left to go get the vacuum and a trash can.

* * *

Bella was deep in thought when she walked into the kitchen so the sound of a voice made her jump and clutch at her chest. "Shit D, you scared the hell outta me," she breathed out in relief as he stared at her from the breakfast bar. She walked toward the fridge and he cocked a brow. "So," he drawled. "You two done…talking?" he asked with a smirk and she rolled her eyes while piling sandwich fixings on the counter.

"For the moment, until he can come down from his temper tantrum."

His brows climbed. "This is Paul we're talking about, right? You might be waiting a while."

She shot him a flat look and began assembling sandwiches. He shrugged and took a bite of his food. "Just sayin', he mumbled through a full mouth before chewing.

"He'll be fine. This is why I'm giving him time. I figure having him clean up the mess he made and feeding him will do wonders for his attitude. By the time he's finished, he should be ready to have a civil discussion."

Rudy snorted and quickly took a drink while looking everywhere but at her. Bella ignored him and plated the sandwiches. "So, where are my dad and Lisa?" she asked, deftly changing the subject.

Rudy swallowed and took a sip of water before answering. "They're overnighting in Seattle." He motioned to a note on the counter. "Guess they had some wedding shit to pick up."

"Shit, that's right!" she said with wide eyes. "I need to find a dress!" She groaned. "I hate shopping, especially for dresses." He smirked and she narrowed her eyes at him. "What are you looking smug for? You need a suit, so does Paul…you guys are going with me."

"Fuck," he muttered and stuffed the last bite of his sandwich in his mouth.

She grinned and picked up the plate she'd prepared. "Be ready tomorrow D, and remember, if I must suffer, so shall you." She chuckled darkly and walked out of the kitchen only to run into Paul as he was stowing the vacuum back in the utility closet.

"Hi," he muttered while looking contrite.

She held up the plate. "You wanna eat in the kitchen or our room?"

He took the plate. "Kitchen. I'm gonna grab a drink too."

"Okay," she said as she moved to go around him. He stopped her with a hand on her arm and she met his gaze.

"Come with me? I'm…ready to talk now."

She nodded and fell into step beside him. Rudy took one look at them as they entered and got up while grabbing his water bottle. "So," he motioned toward the doors. "I'm just gonna…yeah…" he muttered and hurried from the room. Bella smiled and leaned against the kitchen side of the bar while Paul took a seat on the other side.

"You want a water?" she asked and he nodded.

"Yeah, please."

She got it from the fridge and set it beside his plate. He gestured toward the food. "You're not eating?"

"Not hungry," she answered while watching him.

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Look B, I'm sorry for losing my shit, okay? I just…this whole thing…the risks you take…" he trailed off as he looked away from her. "I don't know what I'd do if I lost you." He looked back at her and the pain in his eyes made her breath catch. "Just thinking of it tears me apart inside. It would kill me B. I know it." His head dropped down and tears came to her eyes as he continued, his voice tight with emotion. "All the rest of this shit? I can take it. Loosing the scholarship and baseball…it sucks, but I can handle it…" He raised his head and met her teary gaze. "Losing you? There's just no way…" His voice cracked as his head dropped again and she was around the bar and in his arms the next second, both of them holding tight.

"You're not going to lose me," she quietly cried against him. "We're gonna make it through this just fine, you'll see." She looked up at him and he wiped at her tears as she continued. "We have more going for us than you know," she assured him while cupping his cheek. "That's part of what I need to tell you. There are unbelievable powers behind us Paul. Powers that are helping us and strengthening us for what we need to do. They won't let us fail."

His gaze flitted between her shining brown eyes as he studied her for a moment before nodding. "I have to believe you B, because the alternative is terrifying. War Bella…we're supposed to fight some kind of fucked up supernatural war…jesus…" he trailed off with a shake of his head.

She took his face in both hands and stared into his eyes. "You're gonna kick ass Paul, don't you doubt it, and I'll be beside you the whole time as will the pack. This has all been foretold, we just need to believe."

He nodded and she leaned forward and kissed him, their lips brushing softly as they took comfort in each other. "I love you," she whispered before kissing him again while he pulled her close.

"God, I love you too," he answered as he nuzzled her neck. "So damn much…"

She pulled away with a smile and nodded at his plate. "You should eat. You're always an ass when you're hungry."

He rolled his eyes and picked up a sandwich while she took a seat beside him. "Yeah, yeah," he muttered before taking a healthy bite.

"Besides," she said as he chewed. "If your mouth's busy, you won't be able to bitch."

He narrowed his eyes at her and took a drink of his water. "Just get on with it B," he grumbled and went back to eating while shooting her an expectant look.

"Fine," she said. "I'll cut to the chase, shall I?"

He rolled one hand in the air. "Please do," he agreed before taking another bite.

"Okay, so, the old lady…"

He looked over with raised brows and she grinned. "I saw her again! That's what the glow in the woods was…well that and these two beautiful white wolves…"

He shot her a flat look and she sighed. "Okay, the lady…um, she told me stuff…"

Paul rolled his eyes while chewing and she scowled. "So, I'm not that great at telling stories, sue me." He shook his head and kept eating. She went back to talking.

"She told me the legend of the silver wolf is true. There will be a war, but we will win it as long as we stick together and help each other. She said that I will be vital and that, when the time comes, she will visit me again and tell me what I need to do."

He took a swig of water and eyed her for a beat. "Yeah, that's not vague at all…" he muttered dryly.

She slapped his shoulder and he shrugged and started on the next sandwich. "You told me yourself that the elders were known for being cryptic."

He nodded.

"So no surprises there, right?" she questioned.

He shook his head and she continued.

"Anyway, after that, she told me I needed to go get Billy and get to the meeting. That if I didn't, it was gonna go to shit…" his brows shot up and she muttered, "Well, not in so many words, but you get the gist…"

He smirked and took another bite while eyeing her. She smiled and kept talking. "She said it was important to keep the Cullen's on our side; that they would be important in defeating the red-eyed vampires and two of their Kings, one with the hair of the raven and one with the hair of moonlight. She said the Cullen leader and the Warrior would both help govern all cold ones in the future; that they would be vital to establishing peace between all tribes and their race." She looked at Paul who was now watching her closely. "She said those two Cullens would replace the two kings…that would be destroyed by the silver wolf."

"Two," he muttered while peeling the label on his water bottle. He met her cautious gaze. "I thought there were three of them."

She nodded. "That's what we were told, yeah." She shrugged. "I'm guessing one of the three isn't going to die…or whatever it is they do."

"Burn," he growled while staring into the distance. "Burn is what the fuckers are gonna do."

She shivered at his tone, glad that he'd never directed it at her. It was chilling.

He shook himself mentally from the dark place he'd gone for a moment and looked at her. "Well, that's quite the info-dump. Where's the old lady now?"

Bella frowned. "I don't know, she just sort of walked back into the trees and I couldn't exactly follow her. I had to get Billy and get to the meeting."

He glanced askance at her and finished off his sandwich while she traced the pattern in the granite countertop with a finger. When he'd finished, he pushed his plate away with a sigh. "So, I have to make nice with the local leeches, eh?" he asked with a curl to his lip.

She nodded and looked at him hesitantly. "Yeah, we all do and besides, my best friend is probably gonna be one of them."

He scowled. "How can she even consider it?!"

Bella shrugged and met his gaze. "She loves him."

He shuddered. "How could she even get close enough to love that thing. I mean, it's dead and stinks like it too…fuck. It's disgusting."

Bella shrugged again. "I don't know, they smell kinda like sweet perfume to me; not bad at all really."

He looked at her in horror. "You stay the hell away from them B. I can't stand it when their scent is on you."

She looked down at her hands for a moment, trying to find the courage to bring up a subject she knew was going to piss him off again. "Uh, Paul?"

She looked up into his narrowed gaze. "Yeah?" he drawled while watching her become more nervous by the second.

"Uh, I have to talk to you about school. You know, it starts up again next week…"

He shot up from his seat. "No fucking way!" he shouted. "You can't be serious right now!"

She straightened in her seat and glared up at him. "You don't even know what I'm gonna say!" she fired back and he chuckled darkly.

"Well, let's see Isabella, you started looking nervous as hell and then you bring up school…it doesn't take a fucking brain surgeon to figure out you're gonna tell me you still want to go to Forks High! Which happens to be where your leech-lover friend and her group of pet leeches go!"

She twisted her hands together while looking at him. "Paul, come on, be reasonable…"

His mouth dropped open as his brows shot up. "Me? You're telling _me_ to be reasonable?! Un-fucking-believable!" He turned his face away and she rose from the barstool.

"I know you probably thought I would go the the rez school now that I live here, but I'm already registered at Forks. They have the AP courses I need and the rez school doesn't. It's a school filled with hundreds of students and teachers. I'll be safe there and…I'm going Paul. I know in time you'll understand."

He glowered at her for a moment, his nostrils flared and his body trembling before turning and leaving without a word. Seconds later, she flinched as the front door slammed, almost shattering the glass.

She closed her eyes and tried to stifle the emotions rampaging through her as a lone tear escaped one eye.

"Hey, you okay?"

She spun around and tried to calm her heart while swiping at her wet cheek. "God damn it Rudy! Make some noise or something, will ya?" she snapped.

"Shit, sorry B, I just heard…well, I just wanted to make sure you were all right."

Her anger deflated like a balloon and she nodded. "No, I'm sorry D. I shouldn't have snapped at you." She smiled sadly at him. "I'm okay," she lied and he cocked a skeptical brow. "Okay, I'm not, but I will be. It's not that serious."

He opened his arms. "Come'ere," he invited and she let herself be wrapped in his arms. "You want me to go kick his ass?" he offered and she laughed.

"No." She backed away and cocked a brow at him. "Besides, you said you can't beat him."

He shrugged. "True," he said while grabbing a bag of chips and flopping into a seat. "But I can still get some good hits in before he lays me out. I'm willing to do it for you B."

She sagged into the barstool next to him. "Well, thanks D, but I'll pass. He just has to work through it, that's all. It's not like he hurt me…"

He munched a chip. "Oh, I know that. If he had, I wouldn't even ask you. I'd just give him a beating. No questions."

She looked at him with an arched brow and he rolled his eyes. "Okay, I'd try like hell to give him a beating. Happy?"

She laughed and he shoved her playfully. "No need to rub it in, B," he grumbled.

She patted his shoulder as he shoveled in more chips. "You know I love you D."

"Yeah, yeah…" he muttered. "Always the bridesmaid, never the bride…"

~o0o~

Paul jogged into the trees, stripped and phased, a vicious snarl ripping from his wolf form as he took off into the forest. He was angry, no question about it, and he felt totally justified. How could she even think of going to school with those…

His thoughts were cut off by a familiar acrid scent and he growled as he took off after the scent trail while tuning in mentally to the pack. _**"Hey! Who's phased?"**_ he questioned while listening carefully.

_**"Just me man."**_ Jared piped in seconds later. _**"Why, what's up?"**_

_**"I'm headed toward the northern part of the treaty line and caught a fresh leech trail. Get over here, now."**_

_**"Shit, really? I'm on the way."**_

Paul raced through the trees until his nose ached from the strength of the scent. He could now tell there were two of them and he chuffed as he ran. _'Jesus, they stink,'_ he thought and Jared answered him.

_**"Don't I know it."**_

_**"Yeah well, just get here. There's two of them. It'd be nice to have help."**_

_**"Hauling ass as fast as I can bro,"**_ Jared huffed.

Paul spotted a blond pony tail just as he reached the treaty line and kept after it even when he spotted the honey-blond leech and the big muscled one from the Cullen coven joining in the chase.

The muscled one called out, "Jasper, I'm going after the red-head in the trees. See ya." He veered off and now it was just Paul and the leech called Jasper chasing the pony tail.

Jasper glanced at him. "That your top speed?" he asked with a grin. Paul snarled. "Okay man, just askin'. How 'bout you take the left and I'll veer right? We cut him off from both sides?"

Paul angled left and Jasper nodded. "Okay then, see ya at the bonfire."

They both poured on the speed and began gaining on the laughing vampire who abruptly stopped laughing as Paul nipped a chunk out of his left arm. "Fuck!" pony-tail hissed and Jasper chuckled as he drew close.

"Ain't near as fun now is it Sunshine?" he mocked the hissing vamp. "That's all right though. We're fixin' to end this little romp, right quick," Jasper taunted with a grin.

"Fuck off," pony-tail snarled and tried to launch himself into the trees. Just as he did though, both Paul and Jasper jumped with Paul clamping his jaws over the vamp's shoulders while Jasper grabbed his lower torso and twisted as they fell. Between the two of them, they tore the struggling vampire in half just as they both hit the ground.

An agonized shriek had them looking up at the trees to see the red-head's face contorted with rage as she watched her mate's pieces twitch and squirm. "You'll pay!" she screeched venomously before taking off like a shot through the high branches.

Jasper looked at Paul. "You got this?" he questioned and Paul growled. "Excellent, gotta go then! Later Pup!" he said as he took off and Paul shook his head as he began tearing the vamp into smaller pieces to burn.

_**"Dude!"**_ Jared piped in as he caught up and saw the carnage. _**"You bagged it! Awesome!"**_

_**"Yeah, thanks for the help,"**_ Paul groused before phasing to his human form. Jared phased too and looked sheepish.

"Took me a while to catch up. You fuckers were moving!"

Paul merely glowered. "Yeah well, I was out to kill this fucker. Wasn't about to lose it either. Bad enough the red-head got away."

Jared started piling pieces together. "Shit, really? That sucks."

Paul held out a hand for a lighter and Jared knelt and dug one out from his little pouch. Paul lit a dry stick and tossed it on the pile of parts before handing the lighter back.

"So, she really got away? I thought the Cullen leeches were helping," Jared muttered as he stared into the hissing fire.

"They were. Not sure if they caught up to the bitch or not. I guess we'll just have to wait and see."

Jared looked up at their surroundings. "At least you got them off the rez."

Paul nodded. "Small consolation because if they didn't catch her, she'll be back." He met Jared's gaze. "And when she comes back, you can almost bet she's gonna have a plan."

~o0o~

Angela jumped and Edward hissed lowly as the front door to the Cullen mansion slammed open. "Emmett, do you think you could manage entering our home in a civil manner please?" he chastised while holding his human girlfriend close. "You frightened Angela."

Emmett shot Edward a dark look. "Forgive me if I'm a little amped up after chasing rogue vamps through the woods."

"Did you catch them?" Edward questioned sharply.

Emmett's lip curled. "Jasper and a wolf caught one, I chased the other."

Jasper strolled in and quietly closed the door. "Too bad ya didn't catch her," he teased and laughed as Em slugged him in the arm with a muttered "Asshole".

"Language Emmett, come on," Edward rebuked with a glance at a blushing Angela.

"Forgive me my lady," Em said with a bow. "I wasn't aware you've never heard the word asshole before. I shan't make such an egregious error again."

She giggled while Edward glared hotly.

Jasper cleared his throat while shooting a dubious look and a smirk at a grinning Emmett. "Maybe we should go clean up?" he suggested.

Emmett glanced down at his muddied clothes. "Shit, if you insist bro."

Jasper patted him on the shoulder. "Yeah, somethin' tells me Esme would appreciate it greatly."

They left and Edward relaxed back into his seat on the couch. "You'd think they were raised in a barn," he grumbled and Angela shook her head while looking at him. "What?" he questioned.

"You should loosen up and cut them some slack. They were just chasing the vampires who are after me, you know," she reminded him while glancing up at him.

He sighed. "I know, but they are so crass. I can handle it, but they could tone it down for your benefit at least."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Edward, what am I made of?"

His brow pinched. "What? Flesh, blood, bone, like all humans… What kind of a question is that?"

"Right, what I am not made of is glass. I won't shatter easily. You don't have to protect me from every little thing, especially when it comes to your family. I've heard the word asshole plenty of times and even say it on occasion, okay? Surprisingly enough, the world hasn't ended because of it."

He nodded and looked down into his lap. "I know this, but I just feel that you should be treated like a lady." He glanced at her and she took his hand.

"I know, and I love you for it." She turned in her seat to face him. "Tell you what. I'll let you know if I'm ever offended and then you can take care of the problem, okay? That way, we'll both be happy."

He gave her a shy smile. "Sounds reasonable," he conceded and she leaned over and kissed his cheek.

"Thank you," she murmured as he cupped her cheek and brushed his lips against hers.

"Anything for you, love."

"That's good," she said while looking into his eyes. "Because I've made my decision.

"I want to join you. I want you to change me."

**Your thoughts? 'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	25. Chapter 25

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and any original characters therein (Like Rudy: I own him like a boss.) No copyright infringement intended.

A/N: Blah, blah, excuses, excuses... It's been a while, I know. Suffice it to say, due to certain circumstances, I now have a toddler (my grandson) living with me for a while, as my daughter (his mother) is in the hospital with pregnancy complications. Puts a huge kink in the writing gig. To those who manage to write with little ones afoot, my hat is off to you. As it is, it's one in the morning and here I am. Reviews, just to let me know you're still with me and that you still enjoy the story, would be wonderful. ;-) ~Spudz

* * *

~o0o~

**Chapter 25**

The student parking lot at Forks High buzzed with typical morning activity as knots of students loitered and exchanged the latest juicy tidbits before beginning their day.

As usual, all heads turned with the arrival of a sleek, silver Volvo, and a shiny, black Hummer, the occupants of which were always a source of interest and curiosity to the bored population of Forks, WA.

They were all so…different, after all.

Sidelong looks, whispers exchanged behind concealing hands, and even some sneered comments could be observed as the ethereally beautiful, but aloof teens exited the cars.

"Just look at her," a girl named Jessica spat to her closest cohort; a girl named Lauren. "What the hell does he see in her? I mean, she's so…plain!"

Lauren curled her lip and nodded while eyeing the subject of her friends disdain; the only average looking one of the Cullen's tight-knit group; Angela Weber. With an absent adjustment of her amply displayed bust, she switched her attention to the male of the pair as she licked her hot-pink lips. "You're right, Jess." She smirked. "Maybe she gives good head."

Jessica snickered while rolling on another layer of sticky lip-gloss. "Probably. It's the only explanation. She certainly has no other assets to speak of."

The sounds of a motorcycle caught their attention and they watched as it pulled to the curb where a curvy brunette hopped off the back. Said brunette laughed and handed the helmet to the muscled, raven-haired driver as she shook out her curls.

"Oh look," Lauren sniped. "It's Plain Jane's bestie and resident Rez whore, Isabella Swan." She looked at Jessica whose gaze was locked on the Quileute boy on the bike.

"Yeah," Jessica breathed in a daze. "Isn't he gorgeous?"

Lauren's jaw dropped. "Oh my god… You like the Rez guy!"

Jessica snapped out of it and glanced at her friend. "What?! No! I love Mike, you know this," she sniffed.

"Whatever you say, love," she muttered with a smirk.

They watched as the bike pulled out, the driver giving a lazy wave as Bella called out, "See ya later Jake!"

She slung her bag over her shoulder and walked right by the two gossiping girls. "Morning Jessica, Lauren," she greeted with a smirk.

She knew perfectly well what the girls who were eyeing her were like, not that she really cared. Catty girls were a fact of life, especially in high school and she'd learned to ignore them with a smile and her head held high.

"Bella!"

The sound of her friend's voice caught her attention and she waved and veered over to where the Cullen's were gathered. "Hey guys, hey Ang," she greeted with a quick hug for her best friend.

"You're in for it now Bella," Edward said with a smirk as he wrapped his arms around Angela and pulled her to his chest.

Bella rolled her eyes. "I'll shower the scent off before he gets home from work Edward, just as I do every day."

"Aw, that's too bad," he said with a snicker and Angela pulled away and glared at her boyfriend.

"Could you at least try here Edward? This is hard enough on Bella and Paul as it is and your childishness is getting old."

He looked like he'd sucked a lemon as he stuffed his hands in his pants pockets. "I have to put up with her smelling like a…"

Jasper smacked him on the back of his head. "Stow it," he ordered. "You're even gettin' on my nerves, and that's sayin' somethin'."

Rose chuckled and Emmett smirked, drawing a dirty look from the mind reader as Bella smiled at the tall Texan. "Thanks Jas."

He inclined his head with a smirk. "My pleasure, darlin'."

"So Bella," Alice chirped. "How was the wedding? Was it beautiful?"

Bella smiled softly. "It was gorgeous, Alice. Thanks for the heads up on the weather. The day was perfect and the sunset as a back-drop? I can't wait to see the finished photos."

"Aw, you're welcome! And I'd love to see the pics when you get them."

At the warning bell, they all began walking toward the entrance. Bella smirked. "That'll have to be after Charlie and Lisa get back from their honeymoon. I don't dare touch them before then."

Alice kissed Jasper on the cheek and took Bella's arm as they veered off from the group in the direction of their first class. "They've been gone for a week now, right?"

"Yep. They're due back this weekend."

Alice glanced at Bella. "And how are you and Paul doing?"

Bella shrugged a shoulder. "It was rough for a couple of days after I told him where I'd be going to school, but he's over it now—for the most part," she hedged.

Alice's brows rose. "Really?"

Bella glanced at a dubious looking Alice. "Well, I kind-of agreed to speed up the graduation process."

"Which means you'll be done by…?"

"By winter break."

Alice was about to comment when Bella took off toward the girls bathroom, practically running over two girls who were just walking out.

"Bella?!" Alice glanced around and hurried to follow just in time to hear Bella heaving into a toilet. "Bella? You okay?"

More sounds of vomiting answered her question well enough and she laid her hand against the stall door in worry. "Bella? Do I need to call someone?" Awful sounds of dry-heaving were her only answer and she wrung her hands. "Oh god, I suck at this human stuff…" she muttered while pacing.

A flush sounded and Bella walked out of the stall and over to the sink, where she rinsed her mouth and splashed cold water on her face. She looked at Alice through the mirror while patting her face dry. "For future reference Ali, it's kinda tough to answer questions in the midst of vomiting one's shoes, laces and all."

Alice looked perplexed as she glanced at Bella's feet, clean shoes firmly affixed.

"It's just an expression, Ali," she said with a smirk.

Alice rolled her eyes. "Well, are you sick? I mean, like sick, sick? Do I need to get you to Carlisle?"

Bella turned and leaned against the sink, her shoulders slumping as the final bell rang. "No," she muttered while staring at the floor. "Gods help me, but I think this is the type of ailment that'll clear up in another eight months or so."

"What?!" she yelled. "No. You think you're…"

Bella clapped a hand over the vampire's mouth. "Shh! It'd be nice if the whole school population didn't know Alice!"

Alice looked contrite. "Sorry. I just…it's a surprise, ya know?"

"You don't say…" Bella said dryly.

Alice leaned against the sinks, her expression of shock slowly morphing into a wide grin. "A baby?" she murmured as she glanced at her human friend.

A tear rolled down Bella's cheek. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure…and I'm scared Ali."

Alice grabbed her hand and squeezed it gently. "Oh Bella, don't cry…"

Bella swiped at the traitorous tears and did her best to put on a brave face.

"Does Paul know?" Alice questioned gently.

Bella shook her head. "No." She chuckled darkly. "Hell, I don't even know for sure. I mean, I was on the shot, ya know? It's supposed to be the best!"

She began pacing and Alice watched quietly. "You should have seen his reaction when having a baby was mentioned to him once. He was terrified; terrified of being a father." She stopped and looked at Alice. "He's had to deal with so much in his life Alice, and now I have to tell him this?!" She tugged at her hair and hunched in on herself. "Oh god, war is coming, and I have to…"

Alice took Bella's hands in hers and shushed her. "Take some breaths sweetie and let's think about this. The first thing you need to do is take a test. There's no sense in even talking about this until you know for sure, right? I mean, you might be freaking for nothing, right?"

Bella swiped at another tear and nodded. "You're right. I have to know and until I do, I'll try not to lose my shit."

Alice pulled her into a hug. "I'm here for you, Bella."

* * *

Outside, crouched by the vent in the bottom half of the girls bathroom door, a wide-eyed Jessica Stanley whispered, "Oh my god," before running off to class. Yeah, she'd be late, but that bit of gossip gold was worth it. _'Just wait 'till Lauren hears this!'_ she thought with glee.

Inside, the vampire holding her distraught friend in a hug, heard the whisper and running steps and closed her eyes. _'Shit,'_ she thought. _'Why didn't I see or hear that hussy 'till it was too late?!'_ Gently rubbing Bella's back, she debated telling her about it but dismissed it. _'It'll just add to her stress,'_ she thought. Then she smirked. _'I'll just have to head those bitches off before they run their mouths. I'll get Rose to help.'_ Satisfied with the vision of that decision, she pulled back to look at her friend. "Better now?" she asked.

Bella nodded and hefted her discarded bag over her shoulder. "Yeah," she answered with a sigh. "Let's get to class. I still have two days until I'm eighteen so I can't ditch legally yet." She shot Alice a smirk.

"There's the Bella I'm used to," she said with a grin. "Now, let's do this."

* * *

~o0o~

"Seth! Stop whining for fuck's sake!"

"But it hurts!"

"I'm gonna show you hurt if you don't shut the fuck up and take it!"

Paul rubbed his forehead and glanced at Sam who shook his head. They were sitting on the porch outside, listening as the two newest pack members argued back and forth while the younger got his pack tattoo. He was the last of the day and the most vocal.

Jared sighed. "She was your girl for a while there Sam. Is she always gonna be bitchy like this?"

Sam leveled Jared with a flat look. "Probably."

Jared leaned back and thumped his head against the wall, snickering. "Bet her crotch is a steel trap. I'm surprised you have a dick left."

Before he could blink, Sam had him pinned with a hand at his throat, his teeth bared. "Never speak about her like that again." He shoved and Jared's head slammed against the wall. "Got me?"

Jared dropped his gaze and choked out, "Yes Alpha."

Sam dropped him. "I'm going to relieve Rudy," he grumbled before jumping off the porch and jogging into the tree-line.

Paul glanced up through his lashes and smirked at a whipped looking Jared. "Way to go, fucking moron."

Jared flipped him the bird while rubbing his neck. "I had no idea he'd be so touchy. I mean, shit, he has Emily to be all protective over, so what the fuck?"

Jacob watched all of this with raised brows. "You're one of his best friends! You know they were planning to marry before the whole wolf thing. You think he's just gonna stop loving her overnight?" He shook his head. "Idiot."

The screen door slammed open and Leah stormed out, looking beyond pissed. "I can hear you, you know…assholes," she growled before stalking toward the trees where she stood with her back to them.

Jared sighed. "Sorry Leah," he mumbled. She turned her head just enough to acknowledge she'd heard him.

Jacob stood and glanced warily at Paul. "I need to go. I'll, uh, be back in a bit."

He walked to his bike and started it up while shrugging into his leather jacket. When he'd kicked up the stand and pulled out, Jared glanced at Paul. "He going to pick up Bella?"

A muscle jumped in Paul's jaw. "Yes."

Jared, noticing how tense Paul was, decided to shut his mouth. He'd had his fill of pissed off Alphas in his face, and if he were to be honest, he was more afraid of Paul than Sam any day. Sam was a badass…Paul was a scary motherfucker.

He knew enough about the situation to understand why Paul was touchy though. Sam had told him how Charlie (the only man Paul listened to or respected) had sat Paul down for a virtual come-to-jesus meeting after he'd heard about Paul's tantrum over Bella's choice of high school.

Out of that ass-chewing session, it was decided Jacob would take Bella to and from school since Paul didn't want her making the drive alone and Charlie didn't trust Paul not to lose his shit around the Cullens. Jacob was happy since it meant missing zero period and access to the Chief's gas credit card. Jared glanced at Paul's tense form again. Yeah, he was pretty sure Jacob was the only one thrilled with the arrangement.

A thump on the porch caught his attention and he turned to see Rudy flopping down next to Paul. "S'up," he said while glancing between them. Rudy's brows rose as Paul merely grunted a greeting, and he looked over at Jared who shrugged and shook his head.

Rudy nodded and leaned back against the wall. "Paul, bro, ya gotta let this shit go. You walk around like someone pissed in your cheerios all the time and Bella or Charlie is gonna take another piece of your ass for it." He leaned forward and looked straight at his sullen brother. "Any of this sinkin' in?"

Paul blew out a breath and scrubbed over his face with both hands. "Yeah man," he admitted. "I hear ya."

Rudy nodded and sat back. "Good," he muttered. "It's B's birthday in two days. What are the plans?"

Paul looked over at him and smiled for the first time in days. "I'm taking her to Seattle."

"Yeah? I think she'll like that. What'd you get her?"

Paul reached in his jeans pocket and pulled out a small, velvet box which he handed to his brother. Rudy's brows shot up. "Is this what I think it is?"

Paul rolled his eyes. "Open it and find out."

Rudy flipped back the lid. "Fuck…it is."

Jared leaned over Rudy's shoulder. "Shit, for real?"

Paul raised a brow and smirked at the two speechless shifters. "Yes…for real."

Jared grinned. "You think she'll say yes?"

The two watched as Paul paled and ran a hand through his hair. "That's the million dollar question, isn't it?" He looked off into the trees. "I've been kind-of a dick lately…"

Rudy snorted. "Kind-of? No Bro, you've been a certifiable dick lately."

Jared's brows shot up. "Oooh, burn," he muttered with a chuckle.

"Fuck you Cameron," Paul grumbled.

Rudy patted his brother's shoulder. "Fortunately for you, Bella rocks." He met Paul's worried gaze. "The girl loves you man. I've never seen someone so in love, so get your head together and make her happy. All the rest of this shit? The shifting, the vampires…just background noise, bro—not important, especially when you consider you both have your whole lives ahead of you."

Paul leaned his head back against the wall and scoffed. "Pretty words, man, and I'd love to believe them, but with this war coming…" he looked over at his brother and Jared, "I just don't know. How can I make promises and plan a future when I'm not sure I'll live to see any of it through?"

They all looked up when Leah turned and spoke directly to Paul, voice strong, fists clenched and her eyes shining with unshed tears. "It's all a risk, don't you see? Life is a risk, not just for us but for everyone. If you play it safe all the time, are you really living? The real question is; do you have the balls enough…do you love her enough to say 'fuck it' and take it?"

Her gaze moved to the other two shifters and her breath hitched, her eyes wide as they locked on Rudy. Paul's brow furrowed as he watched her for a beat and then he looked at his brother. "Shit," he whispered. Rudy looked like he'd been hit with a brick, dazed as he was. Paul arched a brow and caught Jared's attention, whose mouth was hanging open before he closed it just as his brows shot up.

Leah covered her mouth with a hand and smothered a sob as she shook her head slowly. "I—I can't," she choked. "I'm sorry—I just—can't." With that, she turned and ran.

Jared brought Rudy out of his stupor with a solid pat to the shoulder. "Well man, looks like you have your work cut out for you."

The screen door banged open and a frowning Seth shuffled out, his t-shirt sleeve rolled up off of his brand new, greased up tribal tattoo. "What the hell just happened?" He looked at the three speechless males. "What'd you guys do to my sister?"

Paul sighed and bumped the back of his head against the wall a couple of times before answering. "Your sister and my brother just…imprinted on each other; at least I think that's what happened. She didn't seem happy about it though." He glanced at his brother. "Sorry bro."

Rudy smiled bitterly. "It is what it is…"

Seth's eyes were wide. "Shit. That's like…permanent, right? That's what my dad said anyway." He shook his head and looked in the direction his sister had disappeared in. "Shit," he muttered again.

Paul turned his head and looked at the kid. "Exactly."

**Your thoughts?**

**Please review!**

**'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	26. Chapter 26

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and any original characters therein. No copyright infringement intended.

A/N: Well, pulled an all-nighter (while the little minion sleeps) to do it, but here's the next chapter. Hope it's enjoyable. Y'all let me know via reviews, yeah? Love to you, ~Spudz

* * *

**Chapter 26**

Fear gripped her as she sat, staring at the small, white, innocuous looking stick sitting on the bathroom counter in Alice's attached bath.

_'Who knew such a tiny piece of plastic held such power? The power to bring unimaginable joy for some; for others, the power to devastate.'_ she thought as she, once again, glanced at the time on her phone. She blew out a breath.

Two more minutes to go…

The question in her mind was, which outcome would it bring for her? Perhaps both? _'Yes,'_ she thought, for she couldn't fathom not gaining joy from a child conceived through the love she and Paul shared. But then…they were so young—too young, and the upcoming war…not to mention Paul's misgivings… Yes, the potential for devastation was very real too.

A tear rolled down her cheek just as the alarm went off on her phone. Mechanically, she cancelled it and closed her eyes as she reached for the stick. Holding it in front of herself, she slowly opened her eyes as that lone tear dripped from her chin…

_'Positive.'_

The word echoed through her thoughts like a shot in a deep canyon. It was all she could process through her shock at having her fears confirmed…

_'Positive.'_

She felt cold, numb and somewhere off in the distance she heard voices and…was that knocking? Her breaths accelerated to an unhealthy level as the numbness increased and then…then the distant noises didn't seem to matter any more.

"Bella?" Alice knocked again at not receiving an answer. "Bella?!" She heard the sound of her friend's heart speed up along with her breaths and now she was worried. She knew, with the time Bella'd been in there, her friend should have had the results by now. "Bella? Come on sweetie, open the door…"

Carlisle and Esme walked in and Carlisle laid a hand on Alice's shoulder. "She's panicking Alice. I can hear it." He glanced at his wife. "Is Jasper home yet? Perhaps you should get him."

Esme nodded and left the room.

Alice rubbed her forehead and looked at Carlisle. "Should we break the lock?"

"Yes, I think that's best." He grasped the handle and it gave with a quick twist and a snap. He entered and gathered a panicking, unresponsive Bella into his arms. Walking out, he laid her on Alice's bed just as Esme entered the room with his bag. "Thank you sweetheart," he said with a smile as he took a seat next to Bella. He assessed her quickly, his vampire senses picking up the information in seconds. "She'll be fine. She's merely having a panic attack."

"Jasper should be here any time. He was hunting after school and is changing his clothes," Esme told them.

Just then, Jasper walked in and stared at a panting, wide-eyed Bella. She was curled onto her side and her hands looked like they were cramping. "Damn," he muttered while reaching out with his gift. In seconds, her body relaxed, her eyes fluttered shut and her breaths calmed as she slipped into sleep.

Carlisle smiled and shook his head. "We could really use you at the hospital Jasper. You're the best anti-anxiety medication on the planet. "

Jasper winked at his smiling wife. "Never thought I'd see the day I eased a human's anxiety Carlisle. Spent a hundred years causin' it though."

"Don't sell yourself short Jasper. You could do a lot of good with your gift," Carlisle told him with a smile as he closed up his bag.

"Me in a hospital…" he muttered dryly with a cocked brow. "Not likely old man."

"What happened to her Carlisle?" Alice cut in.

He sighed. "Well, I suspect if you go look at the test she dropped on the floor, you'll see. Something made her panic." He looked back at the girl on the bed. "I can't hear a fetal heartbeat yet, but I suspect the test was positive."

Alice walked back in with a wave of the white plastic stick. "It's positive," she affirmed as she set it on the bedside table.

Jasper leaned against the wall by the door and crossed his arms. "Hate to break up the party, but I'm thinkin' we're gonna be having a visit from a panicked alpha wolf here in a bit. They're soul bonded and it's strong—strongest I've ever felt. He ain't gonna be happy when he tracks her down. Not after feelin' this little episode."

Alice's eyes went wide. "Shit. We left school early to do this, but it's taken much longer than we thought it would." She glanced at the time. "Oh god…" She looked around at her family members with a worried expression. "Jacob's been waiting for twenty minutes at least…"

Jasper shook his head. "I suggest ya get on your phone to her mate Carlisle."

Carlisle took out his phone and scrolled through the contacts. "I don't have Paul Lahote's number."

"Then the pack Alpha, 'cause I'm tellin' ya, if you don't head him off, he's gonna show up with both barrels blazin', so to speak." He met Carlisle's gaze, and Carlisle worked to repress a shudder at the look in Jasper's eyes. "He was playin' with Edward the night he tore the hell outta him. I respect the boy. I've seen his wolf when he means business… I'd hate to hav'ta fight him, but I will if I have to."

Carlisle nodded gravely. "Noted," he said as he scrolled through to Sam's number and tapped connect.

* * *

Jacob sighed again and leaned against his bike. "Come on Bella," he grumbled, yet again taking a quick glance at his watch. "What's taking you?"

He'd been sitting here, waiting, for twenty minutes now, watching as the parking lot slowly emptied after school until here he sat, the only one left besides the jocks who'd stayed for practice.

He went back to playing angry birds on his phone when the thing vibrated. "Yo," he answered in a bored tone.

"You have Bella?"

He sighed. "No man, and I've been sitting here in this par…"

"Where is she?!" Paul barked.

Jacob scowled at his phone before answering. "Inside I guess. How would I…"

A deep growl cut him off. "Something's wrong and she's not answering her phone."

Jake's eyes widened. "I'll go in and look for her, but Paul, you know what Charl…"

"Fuck what Charlie said! Something's wrong and I'm gonna find her."

The call disconnected and Jacob pocketed the phone. "Shit," he muttered before jogging up to the school. "Bella, you better be in there…" he muttered before slipping inside.

* * *

"Paul, come on! She's at school and Black is there with her. She probably had to stay late for a test or something…"

Paul shrugged off his brother's hold as he grabbed his keys and headed for the door. "Something's wrong," he pinned his brother with glowing amber eyes. "I can feel it and I'm gonna find her."

Rudy held Paul's gaze for a beat before nodding. "Fine, but I'm going with you."

Paul opened the door without a glance back. "Fine, let's go." He ran down the steps and to his truck, hopping in and starting it up as Rudy hopped in the passenger side. "You might wanna wear that seatbelt," Paul muttered as he put the truck in gear and peeled out onto the road.

"Shit!" Rudy cursed while anchoring himself with the door handle and the side of the seat. "It would help to get there in one piece," he grumbled.

Paul ignored him and took the curves as fast as the truck was capable.

Halfway to Forks, Paul's phone vibrated. He handed it to Rudy who pressed connect and Sam's voice filtered through the truck's speakers. "Paul, get your ass back on the Rez. Bella's fine."

"She's not fine!" he growled. "You can't bullshit me Sam. I can feel her and something's wrong."

They heard Sam sigh. "Look, I just got a call from Dr. Cullen…"

"I knew it! Where the fuck is she?!"

"Would you calm down and let me finish?!" Sam shouted.

Paul sped around a particularly sharp curve. "Fuck calm. Now, where is she?!" he demanded, his tone chilling.

"She's at the Cullen's." Sam admitted and Paul growled. "But wait damn it! She really is fine. Nothing's happened to her. She apparently had a panic attack and she's sleeping it off now."

Rudy looked at Paul who was still pushing the truck as fast as he could. Paul's lip curled in a silent snarl. "Panic attack over what?" he spat.

"That I don't know," Sam answered with a sigh. "But the important part is, she's okay and you don't need to go rescue her. They've agreed to bring her…"

"No! No way will I agree to that," he groused, cutting Sam short. "Now, where is their…house? You either tell me, or I'll park outside of Forks, phase and find her that way."

Sam growled but gave up the address and Rudy tapped it into the GPS.

"Don't do anything stupid Lahote," Sam warned before ending the call.

Paul sneered and hung a sharp left just outside of Forks. Rudy watched him for a moment. "You know, you should probably listen to him."

Paul shot him a glare. "I'm just going to get my girl. That's all."

* * *

Bella's eyes fluttered open and she took a moment to get her bearings in the unfamiliar room. When she did, she ran a hand through her hair and mumbled, "Oh god."

"Bella?" a male voice questioned. She turned her head and saw Carlisle Cullen sitting in a chair by the bed. He smiled. "Feeling better?" he asked.

She sat up slowly and nodded. "Yeah, I think so." She looked back at him. "What happened…how did I get to the bed?"

He sat back and laced his fingers over his knee. "My best guess? You took a pregnancy test in Alice's bathroom and suffered a panic attack at the results. When you didn't answer Alice, I got you out of there and put you on the bed." He pinned her with the standard doctor stare and she covered her eyes with a hand.

"Yeah," she admitted with a nod. "That sounds like me."

She dropped her hand and looked at him as he sat forward. "Well, it's good that you're awake. It seems your mate felt your distress and is on his way here. From what Mr. Uley tells us, Mr. Lahote is quite upset and I'm sure your present location has much to do with that."

Her eyes widened and she swung her legs over the side of the bed. "I need to get out of here! He—he can't come here!"

He laid a hand on her arm. "Calm yourself Isabella. Another panic attack won't help any of us." His gaze cut over to the open door and he gave a slight nod to Jasper who focused his gift on her. She visibly relaxed and Carlisle smiled. "Mr. Uley has spoken to him. All will be well." He stood and held a hand out. "Let's get you downstairs and we'll await your mate there, shall we?" She took his hand and he helped her stand. "Jasper, her bag if you will?"

Jasper grabbed her bag and followed them downstairs where Carlisle glanced at her with a reassuring smile. "I believe he just turned onto our driveway. He drives a truck?"

"Yes," she answered with a look around. She glanced up at Carlisle. "Thank you for everything, but I should really wait for him outside."

Alice stepped forward and gave her a gentle hug. "Don't worry, everything will be fine, you'll see," she whispered.

Bella drew back and smiled sadly. "Is that your gift talking or just your optimism?"

Alice frowned. "I can't see anything to do with the wolves, unfortunately, but I have a good feeling about this. You'll be fine," she said with a determined nod.

"Thanks Ali, for everything."

She took her bag from Jasper and slung it over her shoulder before walking out the door that Carlisle held for her. Carlisle and Jasper followed and stood on the deck with her to wait.

Moments later, his truck came into view and skidded to a stop. She walked down the steps and Paul was out of the truck and wrapping her in his arms within seconds. He buried his face in her neck and took in deep pulls of her scent. "Shorty," he breathed. "You're all right," he said as he lifted her against his body.

She wrapped her legs around his waist and buried her fingers in his hair. "I am," she assured him with a kiss to his neck. "It was just a panic attack and I'm pissed at myself for it, but I'm fine."

He pulled back and looked at her. "A panic attack?" he asked as his gazed touched on the waiting vampires. She cupped his face and brought his attention back to her.

"Yes, and it had nothing to do with the Cullens. It was just stress, but I'm fine now."

He studied her for a few beats before nodding. "Okay. We'll talk about it later. For now, let's get outta here."

She smiled and kissed him softly. "Okay."

He turned and carried her to the truck where Rudy waited by the passenger side. "You two look like you could use some time alone so I'm gonna use this whole wolfie thing and get myself home."

Paul glanced over to him with a nod as he opened the driver's door and set Bella on the seat. "Okay bro. See ya at home." He slid into the cab and Bella waved to the Cullens through the windshield as he pulled out.

"Well, that was a bullet dodged," Jasper muttered as they went back in the house. Carlisle turned to him after closing the door.

"It was. It could have been so much worse. Thank you for insisting Edward leave for the duration."

"Well I figured it was the best course of action but I asked Ali to look, just in case." He met Carlisle's gaze as he took a seat in the living room and pulled Alice down into his lap. "She couldn't see the immediate conflict of course, but she did see you piecin' your favorite jigsaw puzzle together over the next day or so."

Carlisle winced and took the seat across from them. "I don't see how we're going to work together successfully if Edward can't resist antagonizing Bella's mate."

Alice got up, kissed his cheek and, after a quick glance at Rose, left the room. Jasper pinned Carlisle with an unyielding gaze; that of the seasoned warrior he was. "You, as his sire, are goin' to have to put him in his place." Carlisle looked down and nodded but Jasper wasn't done. "Make no mistake Carlisle. To do so is crucial and if you won't, I will. Our safety relies on it."

Carlisle looked up, the look in his eyes one of understanding. "There's a reason I've always deferred to you in these matters Jasper. Resolving conflict and administering discipline have never been my forte. I've done it in the past, but it's not something I have a knack for."

Jasper inclined his head. "Understood, but just to clarify, you're sayin' you want me to resolve any issues that arise?"

"I am."

"Then we need to call a family meetin' and you need to hand over the reins officially, so to speak. It'll be one less hurdle to overcome."

Carlisle gave a nod. "Consider it done."

* * *

The truck cab was quiet, with only the sound of the engine humming in the background as Bella stared out the passenger window, lost in thought.

_Pregnant…_

_A baby…_

Her chest tightened and she took in a deep breath as she fought down the panic. She couldn't let such a thing happen again. She knew Paul could feel it and if he did, it would only lead to questions… Questions she wasn't ready or willing to answer yet.

She saw him in her peripheral vision, as he shot a concerned glance at her. "Okay, what's going on Bella?" he asked with a creased brow, his fingers tapping lightly at the top of the wheel.

She took another slow, deep breath and pasted on a smile as she slipped her hand into his. "Nothing really…I guess it all just caught up to me today, ya know? I mean, I've been doing all right with it, but then I got to thinking about everything…"

She chanced a glance at him and he looked confused. "Bella, come on…something must have set you off. I mean, you've been the optimistic one in all of this and now all of the sudden—_'just because'_—you're panicking so bad that I can feel it all the way on the rez?" He shot her a searching look and she cut her gaze back toward the window as her mind raced for an excuse…anything but the truth…there was just no way she could share _that_ with him…not yet…

Her eyes teared up and she gave him the only excuse that she knew he wouldn't question. "I'm…afraid of losing you. I don't usually let myself think about the possibility, but today…" her breath hitched and she swiped at her tears as she spoke the lie. Well, such a fear wasn't a lie in the strictest sense, but it wasn't the truth that applied to her afternoon and she hated herself for that. She would tell him. She had to. Just…not now…

She swiped at more tears as she felt the truck slow and pull onto the shoulder, and then Paul was pulling her onto his lap. "Hey," he murmured while running his fingers through her hair. "It's all right shorty. Everything's gonna be okay." He tipped her face up with a crooked finger under her chin and the look in those hazel/amber eyes held so much love and trust that she hated herself a little more, if possible.

He leaned down slowly and his lips covered her's in the sweetest kiss they'd ever shared. Her breath hitched on a sob and she pulled herself closer and deepened the kiss as if her very life depended on it.

Breaking the kiss, she moved herself so she straddled his lap as her hands held his face. "I love you," she said simply while staring into his eyes.

A grin—the one that brought out that dimple she loved so much—curved his lips as he pulled her close with his hands at the small of her back. "Back at ya shorty," he said before leaning in for another kiss.

There was heat behind this one and she moaned into his mouth as his tongue played against hers, her hips tilting to grind against the growing bulge in his pants.

His hand drifted up her side to caress her breast, his thumb circling over the taut peak as his kisses trailed from her lips to her jaw and down the satin skin of her neck where he lightly sucked at her mark. "Mine," he murmured as she arched against him.

"Yours," she breathed while snagging the hem of her shirt to pull it over her head.

He groaned and placed a kiss right above the front clasp of her bra, drawing in deep breaths of her scent as she rocked against him, his fingers busy unfastening her jeans. "Need you," he mumbled before nipping one hardened bud through her cotton bra. "Gotta be inside you…"

She leaned back, popped the clasp of her bra and shrugged out of it. "Yes please…" she said while trying to push aside her guilt.

Maneuvering off his lap, she shimmied out of her jeans and panties while he loosened his own jeans and pulled himself out.

She straddled his lap again and kissed him passionately, nipping and sucking at his bottom lip as his hand glided up her inner thigh to find her soaking center. Two sure fingers slipped into her as his thumb expertly circled her clit drawing whimpers from her as his mouth broke from hers to capture one dusky peak. He sucked deeply and the sensation went straight to her center.

Her head tilted back and she rose up and arched her back, her hands buried in his raven hair. "Oh god Paul…yes…" she moaned while rocking into his hand. "Fuck…feels so good…"

A dark chuckle was his only response as he pulled his hand away and lined himself up at her entrance. "You ready for me shorty? 'Cause I'm gonna fuck you now…"

With a nod, she sank down just as he thrust up into her and she cried out at the intense feeling of being stretched and filled—possessed—by him.

A growl ripped from him and his jaw clenched at the feel of her tight, wet heat sheathing his straining cock. "Jesus…so good," he groaned as she rose and fell in time to his thrusts, her hips rolling against him before rising again.

He tilted his head forward, watching her through hooded eyes as she rode him, her eyes closed and kiss-swollen lips parted as she moved, her hands buried in her own hair as he guided her with a firm hold on her hips. "So beautiful…" he whispered. "So damn beautiful…"

She kept her eyes closed because she just couldn't take looking at him. She knew what she would see…unfathomable love and trust shining in those lust hooded eyes she loved so much…and she knew it would be her undoing. She was barely holding it together at the sound of his whispered words… So, she kept her eyes closed and did her best to lose herself to her baser senses…the heat of his body…his musky scent…the feel of his cock as they moved together…and it was working…until it didn't…

"I love you Isabella," he whispered against her ear as they found their completion and she clutched to him as traitorous tears fell from her eyes and onto his shoulder. She nodded against him, her throat too choked with emotion to speak as his fingers tangled in her hair. "Hey," he murmured. "It's all right baby girl, I promise. It's all gonna be fine, you'll see."

"Yeah," she finally whispered as she laid her head against his shoulder, her eyes staring into the thick trees just outside the passenger window. "I sure hope so."

* * *

Alice watched as Carlisle and Jasper walked Bella out of the house and turned and caught Rosalie's eye. With a quick nod, she headed upstairs and Rose followed. "Close the door, will you?"

Rose did and took a seat across from her on the bed, eyes narrowed as she looked at her sister. "Okay, so what's up?"

Alice blew out a breath before meeting her steady gaze. "You heard what went on with Bella?"

"The panic attack and what caused it?" Alice nodded. "Yeah, I heard. I guess I can understand why she'd be upset…I mean, they're both so young and all the shit going on at the moment…not exactly an ideal situation for having a baby…"

"No, it's not and that's what I wanted to talk to you about. You see, Bella told me her suspicions earlier today at school and Jessica Stanley overheard."

Rosalie sneered. "I bet the skank can't wait to share that juicy tidbit."

"Exactly. But I plan on heading her and her bestie off, hopefully before they get the chance to spread it."

Rose smirked. "I'm in."

Alice grinned and stood up. "Awesome." She walked to the door, opened it for Rose and they walked down the stairs together as Alice spoke lowly. "They're usually hanging out at the diner this time of day. I'm really hoping to get to them before they speak to anyone else. I haven't seen Jessica telling Lauren yet, so I think this will work." She glanced at Rose. "You up to paying them a friendly visit now?"

Rose nodded. "Yeah, I look forward to showing them what real bitch looks like, just give me a few minutes to let Em know we're going for a drive and we'll head out."

Alice giggled. "Perfect!" She went and sat with Jasper for a bit after he and Carlisle came in from seeing Bella off. When Rose was ready, she stood and gave Jasper a kiss and they left.

* * *

Jessica and Lauren walked into the diner and waved at the waitress before sliding into their usual booth, right next to where Mike and his friends usually sat. They came here everyday after cheer practice because Mike and his crew always came here after football practice. Jessica frowned when she saw he wasn't there yet, but shrugged it off and turned to Lauren who narrowed her eyes. "Okay, we're alone, finally. Now tell me!"

Jessica smirked. This was just too good! It was rare that she ever got to such good information before Lauren did and she wanted to savor the victory, but she could see the blonde's patience was wearing dangerously thin. She'd just opened her mouth to speak when the waitress showed up, order book and pencil in hand. "What'll it be today ladies? The usual?"

Lauren huffed in frustration before absently flapping a hand. "Yeah, yeah, the usual, thanks."

The waitress cocked a brow at the rude blonde before glancing at Jessica who nodded and smiled sheepishly. "The same as always, please."

The waitress scribbled on the pad and cracked her gum before turning. "All righty, I'll get right on that." She walked off and Lauren pinned Jess with a glare.

"All right. I'm done playing. Spit. It. Out," she growled while leaning forward, toward her wide-eyed friend.

Jessica held up her hands. "Okay, okay! Shit, keep your hair on," she pouted, then grinned and bounced in her seat. "Okay, so this morning, I saw Bella Swan run toward the girls bathroom, you know, the one just off the science hallway?"

Lauren rolled her eyes and rolled a hand in the air. "For fuck's sake Jess, get to the good part."

Jessica huffed. "Fine. So Alice Cullen follows her in and when they didn't come out after a couple of minutes and the hallway cleared, I went to listen at the door."

"And?"

Jessica giggled. "Annnnd…

Lauren's hand slammed on the table. "I swear to god Jess, if you don't…

"All right! Shit. Sorry." Lauren's nostrils flared and Jess hurried to tell her. "I heard Bella Swan say she thinks she's…" she leaned forward and stage whispered, "pregnant!"

Lauren's brows shot up and she sat back with her arms crossed over her ample chest as an evil smirk bloomed on her faded hot-pink lips. "Oh, that's rich..." she chuckled.

Jessica thought her friend sort of resembled the grinch in that moment but shook off the thought as she let out a small squeal and bounced. "Can you believe it?!"

Lauren looked down-right malicious as she gave a slow nod. "Yeah, I can believe it. What I'm wondering is which one of the rez boys is responsible?" She chuckled darkly and took a pull from the soda the waitress put in front of her. She waited until the waitress walked off before speaking again. "I wonder if the slut even knows?"

Jess bounced and took a sip of her own soda before her brow pinched. "Knows what?"

Lauren rolled her eyes. "Who the father is, you ditz."

Jess smiled. "Oh, yeah. Well, I heard Alice Cullen ask her if someone named Paul knew, so maybe he's the one."

Lauren's breath caught. "Paul? Are you sure that was the name you heard?"

Jessica bobbled her head. "Yep, I heard it clear as day. Why, you know him?"

Lauren smiled wickedly. "Sure. You remember that bonfire we went to after that baseball game last year?"

Jessica turned a little green. "The one where I got so wasted I don't really remember what happened after the first hour?"

Lauren smirked. "That's the one."

"I'll never drink Jack Daniels again…" Jessica murmured with a shudder and Lauren chuckled.

"Yeah well, while you were passed out in a puddle of your own puke, I was having a very, very good time with their star pitcher, Paul Lahote."

Jessica leaned forward, eyes wide. "You fucked Bella Swan's boyfriend?" She watched as Lauren's face blanked so she soldiered on. "You made out?" She squealed. "Damn, I'm jealous. If he's the one I'm picturing, he was hot. So spill! He kissed you?!"

"Well, no," Lauren admitted with a scowl, "but I did give him a bj."

Jessica sat back as her brows inched up. "Yeah, like that's not being used at all. Did you get anything out of it?"

Lauren sneered and flipped her off. "At least I had an actual encounter. Better than you trailing after guys you lust after like a lost puppy. I take what I want."

"Sounds like you took what you could get," Jess muttered under her breath.

They both jumped when a chipper female voice cut in. "Hi Jessica, Hi Lauren."

Jessica's eyes went comically wide as Lauren's eyes narrowed in on their visitors. "Alice Cullen and Rosalie Hale. What do you two want?"

Alice smiled brightly. "Well, we were just out for a drive and saw you guys and thought it'd be more fun with more people along. So, would you like to go with us?"

Lauren was suspicious, even as Jessica smiled widely. She'd been trying forever to get an _'in'_ with the close-knit Cullen group and this was it! Visions of Edward Cullen danced through her head and she clasped her hands together. "Oh my god! Absolutely!" She locked a pleading gaze on her bestie. "Right Lauren? We'd love to! Right?"

Lauren eyed the two skeptically. "Where would we be going? I have to let my mother know."

Alice glanced at Rosalie. "Oh, we were just thinking of doing some light shopping in Port Angeles."

Lauren glanced back at Jessica. "I don't know…I mean, we haven't even gotten our food…"

Jessica bounced. "Aw, come on Lauren…we can grab something in PA," she looked at Alice, "right?"

Alice smiled winningly. "Of course!"

She looked back at Lauren. "There, you see?"

Lauren tossed up her hands. "Fine, we'll go, but I have to be back here by eight, otherwise I'll never hear the end of the bitching from my mother."

Each girl placed money on the table and left the diner with Alice and a secretly smirking Rosalie.

Rosalie prayed for patience while Jessica—the air head—prattled all the way to PA. She had to hand it to the bottle-blonde bimbo Lauren. She maintained her silence the entire time while carefully observing the interactions of her friend and Alice. She was definitely sharper than her buxom brunette friend, without a doubt.

Finally, to her great relief, Alice gestured toward a central parking lot and she pulled in and parked. Before the dynamic duo had a chance to get out, both she and Alice turned in their seats. "Well, here we are!" Alice chirped and Jessica beamed while Lauren maintained her stony facade. "Before we get to shopping though, I thought we could have a little girl to girl chat."

Lauren crossed her arms over her chest. "About?"

Alice looked grave. "Well, you see, I know that Jessica heard something very private about my friend Bella Swan this morning, and I just want to make sure that information stays private."

Jessica frowned and Lauren scoffed. "Why should we keep quiet? She wants to whore herself out to the rez boys, she should face the consequences."

The blood drained from her face in the next second at the chilling smile on Rosalie's face. "I was _so_ hoping you'd say something like that. Now, get your skank-ass out of my car. We're gonna take a little walk."

Rose and Alice looped arms with the outraged girls and marched them into the alley behind the nearest store. "What the hell's going on?" Lauren yelled while trying to yank away from Rosalie.

Rosalie shoved her back against the building and her head bounced on the rough brick surface as tears sprang into the girl's eyes. "You listen to me," Rose seethed. "You don't get to make demands here, got that? You're gonna shut that disgusting hole in your face and listen and when it's time for you to agree to what I tell you, you're gonna nod that lump of meat you call a head. Let's try, shall we? Do you understand?"

Lauren sneered. "Fuck you!"

Rose grabbed her by the throat and shoved, drawing a pained gasp from her. "Wrong answer. Now, because repetition is apparently the key to learning, I'll ask again. Do you understand?"

This time, both girls mutely nodded. Rose smiled over at a grinning Alice. "Would you look at that Ali? They can be taught." She wrinkled her nose and looked down at a trembling Jessica, whom Alice had pinned against the wall next to her friend. "Seems yours needs work on potty training though. Be a dear Ali and mind the puddle. I don't want that stench in my car."

"No problem Rose. These shoes are old and I brought another pair to change into. You know me, I like to be prepared."

She nodded and focused back on their guests. "So ladies—and I use that term in the loosest sense of the word—here's what's going to happen: You two are going to forget ever knowing anything about Bella Swan or anyone having anything to do with Bella Swan. If my sister and I hear even the tiniest whisper about her, we'll be having another chat, is that clear?" She shoved a scowling Lauren again and the girl cried out from the sharp pain in the back of her head. "Needless to say, it'll be much less pleasant than this one, understand?"

"Yes! We u-understand!" Jessica sobbed and Alice tsk'ed and shoved her against the bricks.

"You were doing so well dear Jessica. Now, how are you supposed to answer?"

Jessica nodded as well as she could with Alice's hand around her throat. "Good girl," Alice praised.

Rose chuckled and lightly smacked Lauren's cheek. "Your turn sleaze. Not. One. Word. Understand? You won't like it if we have to have this talk again, I promise you."

Lauren clenched her jaw and nodded, her eyes fairly sparking in rage and fear.

Rose and Alice let go of the girls and Alice raised her wrist and looked at it as if checking the time. "Well girls, time's a'wastin' and you have quite the walk ahead of you if you want to get back to Forks by eight. Ta ta!" She and Rose walked out of the alley and Jessica collapsed to her knees and sobbed.

"Get up!" Lauren nudged her with her foot while swiping at the tears on her own cheeks. "They're just a couple of bitches. No need to fall apart for fuck's sake."

Jessica scowled up at her friend. "Oh, and like you're any better? You're crying too!"

Lauren spun back toward her. "At least I didn't piss myself and then kneel in it!" She glared until Jessica dropped her head with a defeated nod. "Now get up! We need to get walking."

Jessica stood on shaking legs, looking dismayed. "We're really gonna walk?"

Lauren's lip curled. "Yes. My car's at the fucking diner, remember? Unless you wanna call Mike for a ride?" she drawled cruelly while striding down the street. Jessica had to jog to catch up.

"No way! Are you crazy?" She gestured down at her soiled pants. "I can't face him like-like this!"

"This is your fault you know?" Lauren ground out. "You just had to go for a ride with Edward's sisters, didn't you? Fucking idiot…"

"You agreed!"

Lauren looked at her friend like she was something she'd just scraped from the bottom of her shoe. "You _begged_. I was being _nice_."

They fell silent after that and walked a couple more blocks until they drew up short when a beautiful red-headed woman stepped into their path. Her hair was wild and curly and tumbled over a tatty looking white fur coat draped over her shoulders.

"Hello girls," she simpered with a manic smile. "My name's Victoria."

**Your thoughts? **

**Please review!**

**'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	27. Chapter 27

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and any original characters therein. No copyright infringement intended.

A/N: A little more character development in this chapter for some characters that I've heretofore glossed over. Trying to introduce all into the story while weaving them together. Let me know If I fall short or succeed, yeah? Was shooting for over 6K words on this chapter but only made it to 5500. Called it quits 'cause it's 4 in the morning and I'm gettin' slap happy. LOL Love to you all, ~Spudz

* * *

**Chapter 27**

Jacob Black ran a hand over his shower-damp hair as he stumbled down the hall to the kitchen. His jaw cracked with a huge yawn as he absently scratched at the taut, fuzz dusted skin just above the waist of his jeans. He was beat from too little sleep and waking up was a chore, to put it politely.

"Morning son," Billy Black greeted with a sidelong glance and smirk before taking a sip of coffee and going back to his paper.

Jacob ambled over to the stove and lifted the lid off a skillet. "Breakfast," he mumbled at the sight of scrambled eggs and bacon. "Awesome."

"There's bread in the toaster. Just put it down. Didn't want to make that ahead since I didn't know when you'd be up and around," Billy explained while turning a page.

"Yeah, cold, soggy toast sucks," Jake commented, drawing an absent "Mm hm" from his father.

He depressed the lever on the toaster and yawned again while pulling a cup from the cabinet. "Thanks by the way," he muttered while pouring some of the heady brew for himself. He held up the pot. "Need a refill?"

Billy glanced at his cup and held it out. "Sure," he said while eyeing his exhausted kid. "Rough night?" he asked while Jake filled his cup and set the pot back on the warmer.

The toast popped up and Jake plated it along with the eggs and bacon before taking a seat across from his Dad. "Nah, not really, just long and boring." He buttered his toast and began eating while Billy watched him closely.

"No new signs then?" he asked with a furrowed brow.

Jake swallowed and took a liberal sip of coffee. "Nope," he said before going back to his food.

Billy glanced out the window with a frown. Usually, no news would be very good news where cold ones were concerned, but he knew what was coming and that it would only be a matter of time; they all did, and so this tense holding pattern they were in was wearing on them all, especially the pack.

"It's like waiting for the other shoe to drop, ain't it?" Jake muttered between bites.

Billy turned back and took a sip of coffee before nodding. "It is," he agreed.

"Colin Littlesea and Brady Fuller phased," Jake commented while meeting his father's appalled gaze.

Billy closed his eyes and rubbed at his brow with a sigh. "They're so young," he said, his tone laced with sadness. He looked up at his son. "You all are."

Jake smirked bitterly and saluted with his cup. "Seems the Spirits don't give a shit about little things like age or life goals Pops."

"Jacob," Billy warned, his brows drawn.

Jake scowled. "What? It's the truth," he said as he finished off the last bite of bacon and rose to put his plate in the sink. He stood there a moment, just staring out the window and Billy shook his head.

"We don't see—can't see—the bigger picture son. Don't let yourself become bitter, Jake. You'll only hurt yourself and those you love by being so."

Jake turned and leaned against the counter. He glared at the floor a moment before speaking. "It's damned hard not to Dad. I mean, when do I get a say in my life, huh?" He looked up at his dad and hated the pain he saw in Billy's eyes, but the pent up anger inside him kept his mouth going. "I feel like all I've ever done is be there for other people, and now…" he scoffed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Now, I'll never escape this place."

Billy hung his head. "I'm sorry son. I'm sorry you've had to take care of me all these years…"

"Dad, no…just…no, that's not what I mean, not really."

Billy looked up and cocked a brow.

Jake sighed and a slight growl escaped him. "Okay, does part of me resent that? Yes." Billy nodded and Jake held up a hand. "Wait, hear me out," he insisted and Billy inclined his head. "I'm pissed Dad, but not at you. You can't help your health problems and disabilities, and so I'm happy to be able to help you. Who I'm pissed at are my sisters for thinking only of themselves and leaving the way they did." His voice wavered with tears as he continued. "All these years, I hoped and prayed they'd come back to us…" He slammed a hand on the edge of the counter as his expression hardened. "They left us, both of us, and haven't looked back since!" A muscle in his jaw twitched. "How could they do that Dad and still live with themselves?!"

"Your sisters just needed…" Billy began tiredly but Jake cut him off with a fierce scowl and a wave of his hand. This was an old argument between them…

"No! No more excuses Dad! I've heard them all and they're all bullshit! I won't listen to it anymore! What about what you needed? What I needed?! I was just a little kid!"

Billy shook his head. "They're my daughters, your sisters, our blood…"

He watched as his son's expression turned to stone. "Not anymore. It's been four years since we've heard from them and I know you've tried Dad, without success. We both have…"

"Jake…" Billy trailed off as his son straightened to his considerable height, shoulders squared and eyes steely as he spoke in a tone Billy hadn't heard since his own father, the previous Chief, had died decades before.

"Hear me now because this is the last I will speak of it: They are no longer my sisters; no longer my blood. They are dead to me and dead to our people."

He walked out of the kitchen and Billy stared out the window with a weary sigh. His son wasn't a Chief yet, but that was the voice of one, there was no denying it and his heart ached because he knew; there was no longer a place in the tribe for his daughters. There would be no reconciliation…ever.

* * *

~o0o~

Jacob parked his bike at the side of Sam's house and bounded up the steps. After a cursory knock on the screen, he opened it and walked in.

"What's up douchebag?" Quil greeted with a smirk as Embry snickered. They, as usual, were sitting at the huge dining table Sam had made, eating cookies. Jake rolled his eyes and snatched a cookie off Quil's plate before dropping into a chair.

"You should know, you're the nozzle," he quipped before stuffing the whole cookie in his mouth with a smile curving his lips.

Embry snickered again and Quil rolled his eyes.

"So, where's our fearless leader?" Jake asked while popping the top on a soda. He didn't feel guilty about eating and drinking at Sam's place because he knew the Council paid for all of it. It was one perk they were all grateful for. That, and the generous clothing allowance each one of them got every month. Jake wasn't too impressed though. He, and all the others figured it was the least the Council could do for the risks they took and the freedoms they sacrificed. _'Oh, and the hours of boredom and lost sleep too…can't forget those,'_ he thought sourly.

"He and Jared are training the newbies," Embry answered before letting out a deep belch with a grin.

"Guys, come on!" Emily protested from the kitchen.

"It was Embry!" Jake yelled while dodging a punch to his arm.

"Yeah, well, it was gross," she grumbled as she walked out with a platter of sandwiches.

They were grabbing at them before she could set them on the table. "Thanks Emily," Quil said through a mouthful and she wrinkled her nose.

"Ya know, just because you guys turn into giant dogs doesn't mean you need to behave like them at my table."

Jake chuckled and eyed his two best friends. "You can't blame this on the wolf Emily. They've always been this way."

She wiped her hands on a towel and glared at the culprits. "Mind your manners or I won't feed you here anymore."

They both slowed down and looked sheepish. Embry swallowed and wiped his mouth on a napkin. "Sorry Emily," he muttered before taking a drink.

She smiled and rolled her eyes. "Just clean up after yourselves," she said as she walked back into the kitchen. "I have enough to do just keeping you all fed and the kitchen clean."

Jake toyed with the tab on his soda can. "So, where are all the others?"

Embry shrugged. "Not here," he said before taking another bite.

"Rudy was on with you last night, right?" Quil asked and Jake nodded. "Well, he hasn't shown up here yet, so he's probably still sleeping. As for the Clearwaters, they should be here soon."

Jake nodded. "That should be interesting," he muttered.

"Whaddya mean?" Embry asked before popping the last bite of sandwich into his mouth.

Jake shrugged a shoulder. "Well, Rudy and Leah haven't been around each other since…"

He trailed off as the screen opened and a female voice interrupted. "I suppose it's too much to ask for you dickwads to mind your own business," she growled before dropping into a seat.

"Hi guys!" Seth greeted as he walked in with his ever-present grin. "Ooh, sandwiches!" he said while sitting next to his sister. He grabbed a paper plate from the stack and snagged two sandwiches and a bag of chips and happily began eating.

Leah shook her head and grabbed two sodas from the cooler before sitting back down and giving him one.

"So, I take it from the petty gossip and vacant look in your eyes, our mighty alpha is absent?" she sniped with a sneer as she popped the tab on her drink.

"Your talent of perception astounds me Leah, truly," Jake muttered before grabbing his own plate and sandwich.

She flipped him off.

"You'd enjoy it too much," he answered with a smirk just as Emily walked in. She froze.

"Oh, uh, hi Leah, Seth," she greeted weakly.

Seth gave her a wan smile and a wave. Leah ignored her completely while pulling her phone out to see the time. "I'll give him another ten minutes, then I'm leaving."

Jake rolled his eyes while the others looked everywhere but at the surly female shifter.

Emily sagged visibly. "Well, if anyone needs anything…" she motioned toward the kitchen and Jake smiled.

"We'll let ya know," he said. "Thanks."

She smiled gratefully and left the room. No one missed the curl of Leah's top lip.

"You should cut her some slack, especially now that you know what the whole imprint thing is like," Jake opined while meeting her hostile gaze dead on.

"Like I said, mind your own business," she snapped. "I _do_ know how the whole imprint thing goes and she didn't have to take him from me! _She_ had choices! She was the _only_ one that did!" she hissed. "She could've settled for friendship, or treated him as a brother, but she didn't and I _won't_ forgive or forget, so fuck off with your advice. It's not needed or wanted."

"Leah," Seth murmured while placing a hand on her arm. She yanked away from him.

"Don't," she warned and then looked him in the eye, her tone mellowing. "Just…don't little brother, okay?"

He sighed but then nodded and went back to his food, his happy grin gone for the moment.

The screen door spring whined in protest as Rudy walked in just then, looking about as tired as Jake felt. He paused for a beat when he saw Leah, but continued on to take the open seat next to Jake. He looked around at all the somber faces and scoffed. "Don't all talk at once guys, jesus." He got up, walked around Leah and grabbed a soda from the cooler before retaking his seat.

"Hey Rudy," Jake muttered.

"Jake," he returned before guzzling half his drink. He looked over at Leah's tense form and shook his head. "Look Leah, we have to work together. Let's not make it weird, okay?"

Her head shot up, her eyes wide. "What? Oh, uh, yeah, okay. Sounds good to me," she finished with a shrug as she looked back down to the soda she held clasped in both hands.

He sighed before looking at everyone else. "So I take it I'm not late for the meeting?"

Embry shook his head. "Nope. Hasn't even started. Sam's out with Jared and two newbies. Should be here any time though."

Rudy nodded.

"So, Paul and Bella?" Jake questioned.

Rudy grinned. "In Seattle for her birthday. Should be back tomorrow."

"Have you heard from them at all?" Jake asked with a smile.

"Not yet but that doesn't surprise me. Would _you_ be on the phone if you had two nights in a posh hotel with a smokin' hot girlfriend?" The guys just stared at him, looking a bit dazed and he snorted. "Yeah, me either."

Leah scoffed and twisted her napkin while looking away. "Typical male," she muttered quietly.

"Wouldn't you like to know…" he drawled with an arched brow and a smirk. She looked at him, startled and her cheeks pinked up as she looked down at her lap. Seth was now looking at him with something resembling awe and he grinned and grabbed a plate and a sandwich. _'Game on sweetheart,'_ he thought as he ate while watching her fidget from the corner of his eye. _'Game on.'_

The door opened again and Kim walked in while tucking her hair behind her ear. "Hi you guys. Is Jared here?"

They all waved in greeting and Jake shook his head. "Not yet. I think he's probably gonna stay on patrol with one of the newbies while Sam conducts the meeting. Sorry."

She sighed. "It's okay. I'll just go…hang out with Emily," she said with a nervous glance at Leah before leaving the room.

Leah scowled as she watched the timid girl leave. "Why does everyone feel the need to tip-toe around me all the time?"

Rudy smirked but wisely chose to stay quiet while Jake looked at her with his mouth hanging open. Embry found something fascinating to look at through the window and Quil was either very brave or very stupid as he spluttered, "You _cannot_ be serious?"

Seth's eyes widened. He looked between Quil and his sister as her eyes narrowed at who, he was sure, was soon to be a dead man. "Of course I'm serious," she snarled. "Why is that so shocking?"

"B—because you're a first rate bitch! …to everyone…all the time! It doesn't exactly make you warm and cuddly, or even _approachable_, for that matter." he answered, his voice full of disbelief. How one person could be so purposely ignorant was a complete mystery to him and he didn't mind saying so.

"Pfft," she said before her gaze darted to Rudy who was quietly watching, his expression soft, his gaze steady. She mentally cursed the blush that heated her cheeks as she looked away in shame. She knew Quil had spoken the truth. She knew she was a bristly bitch and it had never bothered her…until now. Until she saw the patient, understanding look in Rudy's eyes. "Whatever," she muttered before taking a sip of soda.

Seth had been watching his sister carefully and he saw the look that passed between her and Rudy. He looked over and gave the other shifter a small smile and a nod which Rudy subtly returned. _'Yeah,'_ he thought in relief, _'my sister's gonna be okay.'_

They all heard the back door in the kitchen open and close and Leah tensed immediately. Sam was there.

They heard him greet Emily with a kiss and then he walked into the dining room with Brady, a scrawny little teen and one of the newest pack members, trailing him. He motioned to an open seat. "Grab some food kid, you need it. We'll get started when you're through," he said while taking the seat at the head of the table and making his own plate. He looked up at Leah. "Toss me a soda, will ya?" he asked and her nostrils flared but she did it without a word. "Thanks," he muttered as his pack mates passed the drink to him which he popped and took a long pull from.

"Sorry I'm late," he grumbled before taking a healthy bite of a sandwich. He chewed and swallowed while glancing around at the various nods of acknowledgment.

"It was, uh, my fault," Brady volunteered. "I had some trouble with phasing back." He looked at Sam with a bit of hero worship in his eyes. "Alpha helped me though."

Jake's brows inched up and he glanced at Sam who ignored him and kept eating.

"That's great kid," Rudy said, breaking the awkward silence. "Glad he could help you. It can be a real bitch sometimes until you get used to it."

The kid chuckled. "You can say that again."

Sam finished off his sandwich and wiped his mouth on a napkin before sitting back with a sigh. "Okay," he said, getting their attention. "There isn't much to go over. I've printed out some schedules. They're stacked on the table by the front door so be sure to grab one on your way out. Don't forget it and don't lose it. Fail to show for a shift, and your ass will be mine. This is hard enough on all of us without any of us slacking. Clear?" They all nodded and he continued.

"Any of you who haven't been by the clinic for a health check, you have a week to get it done. The number is on your schedule. Call and get an appointment with Sue as soon as possible. After this week, punishments will be handed out if it's not done. No more excuses. This is an order from not just me but the Council who pays your bills."

Jacob snorted and Sam shot him a dark look but said nothing.

"So far, there've been no new scent trails picked up. We've been fortunate, but we also know it can't last. We know the red-headed female is still out there and she's vowed to come back, so stay alert. I can't stress this enough. She's lethal and she will kill you if given the chance. Just as a reminder, we're still working with the Cullens and they're allowed on our lands if they're in pursuit just as we're allowed on theirs." He met every eye, waiting for a nod before going to the next. "Good. Anyone have anything for me? Any questions?" Concerns?"

Leah leaned back in her seat. "Nope," she said and everyone seemed to agree so Sam nodded.

"Good, short and sweet. You're all free to go. Enjoy the rest of your day."

They all stood and cleaned up their places before heading out. Rudy was just stepping off the porch when he heard his name called. Not a big deal normally, but it was Leah, and that surprised him. He hid it though and turned back with a raised brow. "Yeah?"

She nodded over to the side of the porch and he walked over to join her. "What's up?"

She was looking down but raised her head when he spoke. She let out a breath. "This is really, really tough," she muttered and his brow furrowed as he waited her out. "Oh fuck it," she said while running a hand through her hair. "Look, I think—I think I'd like to get to know you," she met his gaze. "That is, if you want."

A slow smile curved his lips and her breath caught at the look in his eyes; eyes that she noticed—now that she was close enough—had small flecks of amber and green in the deep chocolate brown. They were beautiful. "I want," he said while taking her hand. He nodded toward his car. "Come on, let's get outta here."

She looked at him curiously for a beat then smiled and laced her fingers with his. "Sounds good, let's go."

* * *

~o0o~

Cool hands roamed up her sides, teasing just under the hem of her shirt as equally cool lips trailed light kisses on the tender flesh of her neck and jaw as he made his way back to her panting mouth.

"Edward," she breathed as her body arched, her hands tugging him ever closer, needing, seeking just that little bit more…

Maintaining a careful distance between them, his lips covered hers, effectively muffling her frustrated pleas. He smiled inwardly as her body relaxed back to the bed, all her focus now on their kiss as her fingers tugged at his hair.

She tried deepening the kiss, tried tempting him in by sucking and nipping at his lip but he pulled away. "No my love, we can't," he gently admonished causing her to groan and slap the bed as she looked away.

"Why not?" she finally questioned when she'd caught her breath and calmed her racing heart. She looked back at him and he shook his head while caressing the flushed apple of her cheek.

"You _know_ why not," he murmured with a frown. "It's too dangerous and I won't risk you that way."

She sighed and sat up and he followed suit, hooking a crooked finger under her chin to guide her face back toward him. "Please don't be angry with me. I love you and would hate myself if I ever hurt you."

"But don't you see?" she asked while tracing the side of his face with her fingertips. "I trust you. You would never hurt me."

He looked down and shook his head. "Not purposely perhaps, but I could very easily lose myself and slip." He looked back at her, his eyes pleading her to understand. "One second is all it would take and you would be dead because of it. You're too precious to me to take such a chance. Do you understand?"

She dropped her hand to her lap with a sigh. "I do," she conceded. "But if not now, when?" She pinned him with a searching look and he ran a hand through his tousled hair.

"After…after your change, when you're more…durable," he finished with a crooked smirk.

She smiled and he took her hand, relieved that she wasn't angry. "Okay," she agreed. "But no backing out then mister," she said with a poke to his chest.

He chuckled. "Agreed."

She scooted to the side of the bed and he stood and helped her stand. "It's just as well. I hear Carlisle calling everyone for a family meeting."

"Convenient, that," she mumbled.

"Did you say something love? I didn't quite catch it," he said with a smirk as they left his room.

She laughed and slapped his bicep as she held his arm. 'Right," she said.

He wisely stayed silent until he seated her at the table next to him. It was then he noticed Carlisle standing off to the side as Jasper took the seat at the head. He concentrated on _'hearing'_ his sire but realized with confusion, he was masking his deeper thoughts by reciting medical texts. "Carlisle?" he questioned with a frown.

Carlisle held up a hand. "We wait for Emmett and Rosalie, Edward, then I'll explain."

He nodded and glanced at Angela who smiled and squeezed his hand.

Rosalie and Emmett walked in and took their seats and Carlisle moved to stand beside Jasper. "All right, now that we're all here, we can begin. First, I would ask that you hold any comments or questions until I've finished speaking." He met each gaze of his family with the exception of Jasper and they all gave a nod, although Edward, somewhat hesitantly.

"Thank you," Carlisle continued as he clasped his hands in front of himself. "What I'm about to do, I have given much thought to so please don't think I've made my decision lightly. I haven't, and I believe it to be in the best interests of our family." He looked around at them again to let that sink in. "I suppose you've all noticed the change in seating?" he questioned with a raised brow. They all nodded. "There's a very good reason for that. You see, I believe, due to the trials we now face, it's best that I step down as the leader of this coven," He smiled at Esme who squeezed his hand. "…as leader of this family," he amended.

Edward's eyes were wide as he stared at his sire. "You—you can't be serious! You're leaving?"

Carlisle was shaking his head before Edward finished. "Not at all. I wouldn't"—he glanced at Esme—"_we_ wouldn't dream of doing such a thing. Put simply, I believe that, in times of hardship, Jasper is the superior leader and therefore I am relinquishing my position to him. Consequently, you are to listen to him and follow his direction. He will also be handling any training and discipline that may be required." He let out a breath. "Things will change—not drastically, but they will. He has my full support and I would hope, all of yours as well." He moved to the open seat next to Esme and took it as the whole family tried to process what'd just happened.

It took about a minute but Jasper could feel the storm brewing in their youngest member before he ever erupted, so he was ready for it.

Edward shot up from his seat causing his chair to crash against the wall as Angela ducked and cried out in alarm. "There's no way! This is unacceptable!" He pointed an accusing finger at Carlisle. "You've been my leader my whole existence and _now_ you step down?! What the hell for?!" He gripped the edge of the table and leveled his glare at Jasper who calmly stared back. "And you! You've been shoving your weight and supposed experience into our faces since the day you darkened our doorstep and now," he chuckled darkly, "well now, you've finally done it haven't you?! Now you've got the power you've always wanted! Well guess what?! I refuse to stand by and watch this happen!" He leaned down, getting right in Jasper's face. "I refuse," he growled lowly. "You hear? I'll fight you if I have to, but this-will-not-happen!" He punctuated each of his last words with a stiff poke to Jasper's chest.

"Edward…" Carlisle began but trailed off as Jasper, quick as lightning, grabbed Edward's arm, spun him around and had him pinned face first to the wall.

Edward tried not to make a sound—he really did—but the hold Jasper had on his twisted arm and the back of his neck was just too painful and he cried out, to his everlasting shame.

"You done makin' an ass of yourself boy? Or do ya need a bit more schoolin'? 'Cause I can oblige. Be more than happy to, truth be known." He tweaked Edward's arm just a bit more and the youngest vampire caved.

"Okay! Okay! Stop, please, it hurts!"

"You gonna behave and be respectful?"

Edward growled and Jasper tightened his hold.

"Yes! Yes, I will!" he whined. "Now please, let me go!"

"Hmm," Jasper said. "I know your Mama and Daddy taught ya the proper way to answer, but I guess I missed it when you were bein' all respectful just now. Mind repeatin' your answer, just so we have it straight?"

Edward whimpered and gasped. "Yes sir, I'll be respectful sir."

"Good," Jasper drawled. "Very good, 'cause I really hate havin' to repeat words or lessons. Makes me tetchy and believe me when I say, you don't wanna see me tetchy, ya hear?"

"Ye—yes sir," Edward answered and Jasper let him go. He straightened his cuffs and sat down while Edward stood there, trembling, with his head down.

"Right that chair boy and take a seat. We're not done here."

"Yes sir," Edward answered. With a quick glance at his 'parents' he retrieved his chair and sat, back straight and hands folded atop the table.

Jasper smirked. "Let's get started, shall we?"

* * *

~o0o~

Bella closed her eyes and savored the warmth and the sound of the steady heartbeat beneath her cheek as she lazed, half her body draped over that of her mate, their legs tangled together.

They were both nude, lounging after lovemaking on the massive bed in the room—the very posh room—Paul had booked for her birthday.

She smiled while thinking about the time they'd already spent there. It'd been pure heaven so far with them exploring the city during the day and making love—many times—after watching the sun set from the balcony.

She'd complained about the apparent cost at first but he'd merely kissed her to shut her up and told her it wasn't like he had college to spend it on any more anyway. So she'd smiled and pushed her worries away—all of them—determined to not ruin their time together. It was hard, but she did it, for both of them. He needed it. _She_ needed it, and so here they were, wrapped in each other after another blissful encounter.

A knock at their door interrupted their peace and Paul patted her shoulder. "That's dinner baby. I'll get it. Grab a robe and join me?" he asked as he stood and shrugged into his own robe.

She stretched and nodded with a slow smile. "Sure," she said. "I'll be right out."

She rose from the bed and sauntered into the bathroom to clean up first and then walked out to see him lighting the candle in the middle of a beautifully set, linen draped table. He grinned and pulled out her chair. Taking her hand, he seated her with a flourish as she chuckled. "Madame," he said with a bow before giving her a soft kiss.

"Mmm," she breathed against his smiling lips. "Be careful Mr. Lahote. A girl could get used to this."

He straightened and went around to sit across from her, his eyes sparkling with passion and mirth. "Nothing wrong with that Shorty."

She grinned. "You're setting the bar awfully high. How are you _ever_ going to beat this?" she asked as they both began to eat. It was a filet mignon, medium rare, fork tender and heavenly.

He took a sip of wine while peering over the rim of the glass, his lips quirked in a familiar smirk. "I'll think of something," he drawled and set the glass back down.

She took another bite and closed her eyes with a low moan as she chewed. "Oh god," she said. "This is almost better than sex."

She opened her eyes and grinned at the indignant look on his face. "Don't pout baby. I did say 'almost'."

He frowned and speared a glazed carrot. "Too close for comfort shorty. To think I could be outclassed by a piece of meat…"

She smirked. "It's a very elegant piece of meat honey. There's no shame in that."

He looked up through his lashes and a thrill shot through her; that burning gaze almost tangible. "I guess I'll just have to try harder then, won't I?" he murmured.

She picked up her glass and toasted him. "I look forward to it."

When she'd taken her last bite and laid her fork and knife aside, he gestured to a covered tray on the cart. "Dessert?" he asked and she shook her head.

"I couldn't," she protested with a chuckle as she watched him rise and walk around to her. Her breath caught and her heart took off when he knelt and took her hand. _'No way…'_ her thoughts screamed even as he held up a small, velvet box in his free hand.

He flipped the top back with his thumb and looked up at her as she covered her mouth. Tears filled her eyes and spilled over as he spoke. "Bella, you're everything to me and I hope—I hope I'm everything to you. According to the Spirits of my people, we're already married, but would you do me the honor of becoming my wife in every way?"

Her mind raced along with her heart. They were both so young! She'd just turned eighteen! Could she? Should she? "Oh god Paul," she whispered as her hand shook. She glanced down at the ring and reached out to trace it with a finger. It was the symbol for infinity, studded with diamonds with a solitaire in the middle. It was perfect and beautiful. "Yes," she whispered before meeting his gaze. "Yes," she repeated, her voice stronger now as the brightest smile she'd ever seen on his face slowly took hold.

He set the ring box on the table and cupped her face as a tear traced down his cheek. "I'll love you forever," he said before leaning in for a slow, sweet kiss.

He pulled away after moments and she rested her head against his as she echoed, "Forever."

Reaching down, he grasped her hand and proudly slipped the ring onto her finger.

**Your thoughts?**

**Please review!**

**'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	28. Chapter 28

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and any original characters therein. No copyright infringement intended.

A/N: Well, my daughter is better, the twin babies are doing well and almost ready to go home from the NICU and my toddler grandson is back with his parents! Woot! This means a huge block of uninterrupted writing time for me during the day, thus this chapter which weighs in just a hair over 7k words. Happy reading and let me know what you think of it, yeah? Much love and thanks to you all! ~Spudz

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_**A/N on the actual story:** When last we saw our favorite couple, Bella had just agreed to marry Paul. As for the rest, you may need to skim over the last chapter. There's a lot going on! In this chapter, I've taken the liberty of skipping time by about two months. Not a lot, but I didn't want to bore you all with the mundane. Move the plot, damn it! Move it! (I'm not a patient person and this story has the potential to be a monster if I let it. It kinda keeps growing like the stay-puffed marshmallow man. lol) Just a quick word about Angela and her relationship with her parents; it might be tough to imagine, but there are still households that are run this way. I know, I used to attend a church where this sort of thing was encouraged (pants for women?! God forbid! True story. lol) _

_Oh, as always, wolf mind speak is in **bold italics. **Happy reading, ~Spudz _

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**Chapter 28**

Angela stared blankly out the living room window of her parent's house as the sounds of the local newscast faded into the background. She was totally lost to the thoughts that spun through her mind.

Snowflakes were just beginning to drift down from the thick cloud cover, but she hardly took notice, her mind far away from the peaceful scene she usually relished.

It was Saturday morning, and she'd been sitting there, curled up on the couch under a thick blanket since four in the morning when she'd awoken. She'd been unable to get back to sleep, so she'd come downstairs to watch a little mindless TV.

That's when she'd stumbled across the news, a report she'd watched in dawning realization: Dozens of missing persons, all within the past two months and all from the areas in and around Seattle.

She wasn't quite sure what it all meant, but she wasn't stupid. She hadn't missed the surreptitious looks and hushed conversations amongst Edward's family, but as usual, when she'd asked Edward, all she got was his standard, placating smile and a murmured, "It's nothing, love."

A hand on her shoulder startled her and she jumped, gasping before she could stifle the response as her mother walked around the couch and took a seat in the adjacent chair, a look of concern on her face. Angela pasted on a hasty smile but could see her mother wasn't buying it. "What's wrong honey? You haven't been yourself in a few weeks now. Won't you talk to me?"

"What do you mean, Mom? You simply startled me just now. Other than that, I'm fine."

Her mother frowned. "No, you're not fine."

Angela bit her lip and looked back out the window, her mind searching for an excuse that would satisfy her mother.

"Please baby, talk to me. I'm so worried about you. You used to tell me everything. Now—now we hardly speak and when we do it's very basic. What's happened sweetheart? What's changed? Is it Edward? Has he…" Her mother leaned forward and took her hand. "Sweetie, has he…_done_ something—something you find difficult to talk about?"

Angela's head snapped toward her mother. "What?!"

Her mother's brow creased and she patted Angela's hand. "Baby, whatever it is, please know, I'll help you, but you need to tell me before your father and I can do anything about it."

Angela's eyes went wide. "You think—Oh god , you think he _raped_ me or something?! Mother! He would never do something like that!"

Relief flooded her mother's teary gaze just before her eyes closed and she bowed her head over their clasped hands. "Oh, thank god," she breathed.

Angela stared at her mother in shock. "I can't believe you would even suspect such a thing…"

Her mother sat back and wiped her tears. "You've been so closed off…so distant. I just couldn't fathom any other reason…"

Angela sighed. "I'm sorry Mom. I just have a lot on my mind." Meeting her mother's intense gaze, she decided she'd better come clean with some of it, at the very least. Otherwise, she knew her mother wouldn't let this go. "He asked me…to marry him."

Her mother blinked. "Oh. I see. Well, that's… Okay, I can see why you've been preoccupied. You told him no, of course…"

Angela frowned but held her mother's gaze while staying silent.

"Angela Grace! You're much too young to even consider such a thing! Now, answer my question!"

Angela pursed her lips and looked away. "I haven't given him an answer yet."

"I see. So that's why you've been so pensive. You're trying to figure out how to let him down easy.

"Honey, there really isn't an easy way to do such a thing. You just have to tell him. If he truly loves you, he'll understand and be willing to wait. It's madness to even consider it at your ages. I'm shocked his parents even allowed it. They've always seemed like such fine, moral people," she mused before shaking her head. "I mean, you both have to finish school and then there's college…"

Angela frowned. "I—I don't want to turn him down, Mom."

Her mother sucked in a breath in shock. "No. Angela, your father and I will never agree to this!"

"I love him."

Her mother shook her head. "That's all well and good, but it doesn't change the fact that we will never allow it. Not until you're both through college and ready for such a commitment."

Angela straightened up and held her mother's gaze. "I'm eighteen, Mother. There isn't much you and Papa can do about it."

"Isn't much we can do about _what_?"

Both women turned at the new voice in the room, Angela's stomach twisting uncomfortably as she faced her strict, religious father. Her mother gestured toward her, her tone dubious. "Edward has apparently proposed marriage and she has it in her head that we can't stop her from accepting."

The color slowly drained from Angela's face as she watched her father's hands clench, his eyes reflecting his slowly mounting anger. He pinned her with an icy gaze. "Is this true daughter?"

She hung her head. "Yes, Papa, I—I love him and I wasn't sure before—mainly because I was worried about telling you, but now that you both know…"

His eyes narrowed. "I forbid it."

She looked at her father. "But…"

Her mother's voice cut her protest short. "Is there a reason _why_ he would propose at such a young age? Have you…?"

"What?!" She looked between her parents, her father's reddening face frightening as he stared at her.

"Are you pure?" he demanded.

She nearly choked. "I—I…"

Her mother covered her eyes. "I was afraid of this…"

"I forbid you to even see that boy any longer," her father said, his tone final, cold.

"Papa! I haven't…"

"Are you going to tell me you haven't done things with him? Has he touched you the way a husband touches his wife?!"

Their times together on Edward's massive bed flashed through her mind and years of conditioning to be the perfect, obedient daughter had her answering, her head hung in shame as she recalled Edward's hands on her breasts and the placement of some less than chaste kisses. "Yes Papa, he has."

"Go to your room, Angela. I forbid you from seeing this boy any longer. You're grounded until you graduate high school. After that, you will attend a good Christian college where they provide adequate supervision for girls like you. Only after you obtain your degree will we speak of a suitable husband for you." She gaped at him and he pointed to the stairs. "Go now!"

She jumped at the volume of his voice as tears fell from her eyes. "You can't mean that. Papa, I'm eighteen and I love him."

"I do mean it, and yes, you're eighteen but still under _my_ roof, so you'll do as I say," he ground out through his anger.

She stood, the blanket slowly slipping to the floor as she raised her head to look him in the eye, her shoulders squaring as she did. "I've obeyed you and Mother all my life, but in this, I will not. I love him too much to give him up and there's nothing you can do about it."

The sound of a stinging slap rang through the room, followed by the combined gasps of Angela and her mother as Angela's hand covered the handprint her father'd just inflicted to her cheek. She stared into his enraged gaze as he again, pointed to the stairs. "If you insist on defying me, you have thirty minutes to pack your things. I will _not_ house a rebellious child. I have your brothers to think about and no good could come of letting you have your way as that would only encourage rebelliousness in them. The choice is yours daughter. Either you obey me, or you leave since you are, as you've pointed out, an adult in the eyes of the law."

She glanced at her mother, nodded and ran from the room, the sounds of her mother's sobs fading as she closed her bedroom door and dragged her suitcase from under her bed to pack.

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* * *

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Bella awoke slowly to the feel of warm lips on the skin of her bare shoulder and a sleepy smile curved her mouth as she snuggled back into the hard body of her mate. She grinned and wiggled her ass against his morning wood, drawing a groan from him as he nipped her neck while his warm hand moved down to firmly cup her sex.

"Mmm," she said, tilting her hips into his questing hand. "Good morning my wolf."

A talented finger swiped through her warm, wet folds before penetrating her.

"Yes," she whispered while hooking her top leg over his thigh, giving him room to work his magic. "Don't you dare stop."

She felt him smile against her skin. "Not a fuckin' chance baby girl." His slick finger swirled over and around her sensitive bud and she reached back and buried a hand in his silky, raven hair.

"More," she begged while pressing back against him.

"You want my cock? Want me buried deep inside?" he murmured between kisses to her favorite place, just under her ear.

"God yes," she breathed, tilting her hips just right.

She felt his hips withdraw from her and then she was being filled and deliciously stretched the next second as he firmly slid home.

"So fuckin' good, every time," he mumbled while stroking into her.

"Unf…" She was reduced to incoherent noises of agreement as he lifted her leg and intensified the strength of his thrusts.

Just the feel of his hot, hard body against her—within her, the sounds of his breathing as he mastered her body and the feel of his warm, wet kisses against her skin…she was in heaven and she knew, she'd never, ever get enough of this man.

"Paul!" she cried as the tightened coil within her peaked and burst into a body tingling, breath stealing rush of release.

He growled lowly as her inner walls gripped his plunging cock. "Fuck…always so good," he ground out as he thrust deeply, stilled himself and came in bursts of liquid heat that momentarily stole his strength. "Jesus…" he muttered against her shoulder as another wave wracked his body. He nuzzled the skin of her neck with his nose and lips while catching his breath. "You smell different somehow," he mumbled absently and her heart lurched in a spike of panic.

After recovering herself enough to think, she laughed weakly and rubbed his hip as he slowly softened within her. "Probably just that new body wash…" With a glance at the bedside clock, she patted his ass and wiggled away from him. "Don't you have a meeting to get to?"

He groaned and flopped onto his back as she stood and shrugged into a robe. She turned and eyed him, hands on hips and he cracked an eye open to look at her. She arched a brow and he frowned. "Fine, I'm getting up," he grumbled.

Smirking, she turned and walked into the bathroom. "Good, you don't want to be late. You might miss something important."

She turned on the shower and had to snicker at his disgruntled monologue she could just make out as he gathered fresh clothes for the day. "…schedule a fuckin' meeting on a Saturday…work my ass off all week, not to mention all the patrols…can't catch a break…fucking vampires…can't wait…toast marshmallows over every last one of the bastards…"

She stepped in under the soothing spray. "You wouldn't eat them, so why toast them?"

He walked in and scowled as she smirked at him while shampooing her hair.

"It's purely symbolic Shorty, kinda like pissing on their ashes and you're right, I wouldn't eat anything with their taint on it." He shuddered and turned his back to her while taking a leak in the toilet. Yes, they had reached this stage in their relationship and she couldn't be happier. She stifled a giggle as she watched him yawn and absently scratch his very fine left butt cheek before flushing and she quickly ducked her head under the spray to rinse her hair as he turned toward her. "Got room in there for me?" he asked with a grin as his heated gaze took in a trail of bubbles running down between the perky, wet globes of her breasts.

"Always," she said as she reached for her scented body wash.

Thirty minutes and one mind-blowing quicky against the steamy shower wall later, they both dressed and made their way downstairs for breakfast.

They entered the kitchen to the knowing glances and smirks of Rudy and Leah who were just finishing up the food on their plates as Lisa greeted them brightly. "Morning you two! Breakfast?"

Paul leaned down and kissed her cheek. "Morning Mom. Yeah, this looks great," he said as he accepted the loaded plate from her while Bella poured them both some juice before taking a seat at the table.

Lisa gave her a concerned frown. "You're not eating this morning Bella?"

Bella stifled a cringe. "Think I'll just stick with toast, thanks though," she said as she grabbed a wedge from the plate on the table and took a bite. She found if she ate a light breakfast, she wouldn't have to deal with throwing it up later; something she found very hard to explain away since she still hadn't found a way to tell Paul—or anyone else—about her pregnancy.

"Well, okay, if you're sure. There's plenty here if you change your mind. Your Dad's gone already, out fishing with Billy."

Bella cut a quick glance toward Rudy who gave her a nod and she relaxed. That nod meant that Charlie and Billy were protected and that was important these days, even though there hadn't been any signs of vamps on the rez in weeks.

That in itself was weird and it had them all on edge, just waiting for the other proverbial shoe to drop. That's precisely what the days meeting was about. It seemed the Cullens had new information and they were all eager to hear it, while dreading it in equal measure.

After Lisa left the room, Leah drained the rest of her juice and wiped her mouth on her napkin before quietly commenting, "You two were quite…vocal this morning."

Paul cocked a brow and stared at her for a beat before throwing his head back and letting loose, rocking in his seat as he did so. "Oh…oh…Rudy! Oh yes! Yes! Just like that you sexy beast!" he mocked in a high voice, laughing when Rudy reached over and punched him in the arm.

"Shut the fuck up," he grumbled.

Paul glanced at a snickering Bella. "What's that old saying Shorty? Something about those who live in glass houses and rocks being thrown or some shit?"

Leah rolled her eyes. "Ass."

Paul took a sip of juice and nodded as he set the glass back down. "Why yes dear sis-in-law, I do have one and—not to toot my own horn here—I'm told it's very fine."

Bella nodded while stifling a grin. "It is honey. Very kissable even," she said while playing along.

Paul held up a hand and looked at Leah, his brows raised. "There, you see? I would offer, Leah, but I don't want to upset my beautiful mate, you understand…" he finished in a grave tone and Leah snorted.

"You're such an arrogant dick," she said while fighting a grin.

He sighed. "Must we catalog all my assets this morning?" he said with a long-suffering shake of his head while taking another bite.

She threw a piece of toast at him and he caught it without even looking up from his plate, smirk firmly in place as a wicked gleam sparkled in those hazel/amber eyes.

Rudy merely shook his head. "B, you're a fuckin' saint."

She swallowed a sip of juice and grinned at him before leaning in to stage whisper, "It's the sex, D. Makes it all worth it, but shh, he doesn't know I'm just using him for his body," she finished with a wink as Paul threw her his best pout. She popped in her last bite of toast and chewed while smirking at her mate.

"That cuts deep, Shorty, truly. The wounds may never heal," he said while finishing up his breakfast.

Rudy stood and took his plate to the sink where he rinsed it and stacked it in the dishwasher as Leah stood to do the same. "I would warn you about not being late and pissing Sam off and all that, but I know you really don't give a shit," Leah said while closing the dishwasher.

Rudy sighed and eyed his brother. "Yeah, but it still puts the Alpha in a shit mood for the rest of us, so be on time, will ya? Nothing worse than a pissy Alpha, and I have to patrol with him later today."

"Fine," Paul muttered. "I won't be late."

Rudy glanced at the clock. "Good, we'll see you there in twenty."

"Yes, Father Time, I swear, I'll be there."

Leah pinned Bella with a look. "No last minute quickies that are never quick, by the way."

Bella crossed her arms over her chest and held up two fingers. "Scouts honor."

Leah narrowed her eyes. "I mean it."

Bella rolled her eyes. "I promise to control myself, happy?"

Leah and Rudy walked out of the kitchen, Leah's voice fading as she said, "I'll believe that when I see it."

They heard the front door close and Paul turned to Bella with a wicked grin. She shook her head, stood, and began clearing the table. "No…no way. We've already done it twice today. We do something now and you're late, it'll be all my fault and I'm not taking any shit for you, sorry."

She loaded the dishes, a soap packet and started the load before turning to glare at Paul, who stared back, doing his best to look innocent. "But…"

She held up a hand, cutting him off, then pointed toward the front door. "Meeting."

He stood and bent to kiss her but she turned and gave him her cheek. He sighed and kissed it before shuffling toward the door. "Love you!" she called out and he waved without looking back.

"Yeah, yeah, love you too."

"Don't pout," she admonished, quietly laughing as he grumbled, "I don't pout," just as the front door closed behind him.

She wiped down the counter and stared around the clean kitchen. "Now, what to do with myself…" she muttered with a sigh.

She'd just cleared the kitchen door on her way to the stairs when her phone vibrated in her pocket. Digging it out, she smiled before answering. "Hey Ang!"

"Bella," Angela choked out through obvious tears. "Can you—can you come get me, please? I'm at home," she sobbed and Bella frowned.

"Sure Ang, I'll be right there."

.

* * *

.

Horrific carnage.

That's all she could see, hear and—worst of all—smell, and she cringed into her dark corner, wishing she could disappear.

She'd never known such horrors existed in this world, but such was now her life and had been for the past two months. At least she thought it'd been two months now since waking to this absolute madness of pain, anger and endless amounts of death and blood.

She shuddered and huddled into an even smaller form, tucking her face against her knees as those around her snarled and fought each other over the few bodies left intact from the group of human meals they'd been given.

"What's wrong with you?" a familiar female voice sneered before said female delivered a kick to her thigh.

She whimpered and peeked up at what used to be her friend. The female was covered in blood and gore, licking her fingers as she glared down at her hiding place. "You're weak and pathetic and it's going to get you killed."

Shrugging a shoulder, she chanced to meet the other's hostile gaze. "I'm already in Hell. What does it matter? Death would be a welcomed relief."

Shockingly, something like pity softened the expression on her former friend's face before it hardened again as she glanced around. "Look, Victoria and Riley are gone. You should leave. This is probably your only chance. I'll cover for you, now go."

Jessica stood instantly and grabbed Lauren's arm. "Come with me!" she begged but Lauren shook her off with a snarl.

"No!" she hissed. "I finally have something good with Riley—at least when that Victoria cunt isn't around—and I'm not going to blow that off, especially not for you. Now leave. Go to the Cullens," she sneered. "Maybe they can stand you, since they're just as weak. Perhaps you can find some happiness there before we come to kill you. God knows you don't stand a snowball's chance in Hell staying here."

Jessica whimpered and stepped back. "Why are you like this? Were you always this hateful?" she asked before turning and running out the propped back door of the abandoned warehouse.

Once outside, she got her bearings and took off down a filth strewn, shadowed alley as if death itself were on her heels.

_'The way things have been the past couple of months,'_ her terrified thoughts screamed as her feet pounded the pavement, _'it probably is.'_

_._

* * *

_._

Jasper paced slowly, back and forth in front of the neat line of his family—minus Rose who was stuck watching over Edward's human. His expression was blank, giving nothing away, but his mood was pensive as he thought about the immediate future and what they were all potentially facing.

Between the undeniable evidence he'd gleaned from the regional news and his mate's visions, he knew, based on experience, what was coming; and none of it was good.

The all-too-familiar feeling of revulsion began to niggle the outer reaches of his gift and he stopped and faced front, feet planted shoulder width apart and hands clasped at the small of his back.

One by one, they began to emerge from the thick forest foliage, flashing eyes wary as they crept forward to form a line. He felt shock and sorrow from his various coven mates as the young shifters' expanded numbers were revealed.

"So many…" Carlisle said quietly, sorrow radiating from him as he took them in.

Esme sucked in a breath and murmured, "They're all so young…"

Carlisle squeezed her hand in support and they all were silent once more as the Alpha finally made an appearance in human form, placing himself front and center as the wary silver wolf paced behind the line never taking his gaze from the assembled vampires.

Sam took a moment to study the vampires before meeting Jasper's steady gaze. "You've had a change in leadership?"

Jasper inclined his head. "We have, by mutual consent, as I have the most experience in war."

Sam glanced over to the former leader who gave a nod. "Very well," he said, looking back at Jasper. "You have new information?"

Jasper wasted no time in answering. "Based on various news reports we've seen and my experience, I'm confidant we do, yes. In the past two months alone, there have been eighteen _confirmed_ missing person cases, including the two local girls." At this, he felt guilt roll off Alice, but ignored it; he knew what it was over and it was water under the bridge, so to speak. "Those numbers," he continued, "amassed in such a short time period, are unprecedented, even for such a large region. I won't mince words or sugar-coat: I believe the red-head is building an army of newborns—the term our kind use for new vampires. It's a very old and brutal practice in the vampire world. It's also been outlawed in our world, but if I'm right, that hasn't seemed to deter her. She's out for serious retribution, and doesn't care what she has to do, or what laws she breaks to get it."

"You believe she's building this army to go against us," Sam stated and Jasper gave a nod.

"That's correct."

Sam nodded. "That would explain why she's been so scarce lately."

Jasper smirked. "Believe me, she's got her hands very full at the moment. It ain't an easy thing controlin' so many newborns. They're feral and vicious, sometimes to the point of mindlessness, even amongst themselves. Numbers in the ranks tend to fluctuate because they tend to tear into each other when they aren't tearing through humans."

Sam's lip curled. "So what do you suggest?"

"Well, there's a very good reason I waited as long as I did to involve you all. You see, my mate has visions of the future—possibilities based on decisions made—but for some reason, when you shifters get involved, her visions go black. She sees nothing. Because of that, I waited until she got a clear vision on when Victoria would move against us before involving you."

Sam arched a brow. "I assume you now have a time frame. Care to share?"

"Right you are," Jasper said with a nod. "Provided nothing changes, they will move against us in three days."

The wolves all began to growl, with the exception of the prowling silver wolf, who looked to be grinning, much to Jasper's surprise. He reached out with his gift to taste the silver Alpha's emotions and smirked. He was right. The wolf was almost giddy at the prospect and that was something Major Jasper Whitlock understood completely, being no stranger to battle-lust himself.

With a dark chuckle, he focused back on the pack Alpha. "I'd like to extend an invitation for training. The way these newborns will fight is something totally new for you and also many in my family. I plan to spar for the next two nights, right here in this clearing. You're welcome to join us."

"A generous offer, one I will discuss with the council. I'll contact you with our decision later today if that's acceptable?"

Jasper nodded. "Completely, I'll await your call."

"One last thing," Sam said, eyeing the curiously well behaved mind reader before focusing back on Jasper.

"Go ahead," he prompted.

"Your human is still human?"

"She is, but she's made her decision. I've told them both however, that we will not discuss or act on it until this immediate threat is dealt with."

"Wise of you," Sam conceded. "We'll agree to table the issue until all is resolved."

"Then we're in agreement. If there's nothing else…?"

Sam glanced back at his pack and the ever-pacing Paul before facing Jasper again. "No, nothing else."

Jasper's gaze cut to Paul and he inclined his head, receiving a like gesture from the wolf before turning and disappearing into the trees, his coven following.

Sam turned back, stripped and phased. _**"Let's get home,"**_ he ordered before taking off into the trees, the thunderous sound of many paws following behind him.

.

* * *

.

Bella pulled up outside Angela's house, but before she could even cut the engine on Paul's truck, the front door opened and a teary Angela hurried out dragging a suitcase behind her.

After hefting it into the back, she opened the door and climbed in, sniffling the whole time. "You okay?" Bella asked and the girl shook her head while securing her seatbelt.

"Just go please," she said while closing the door. "I'll explain on the way."

Bella checked for traffic and pulled out. "All right, but where are we going? Paul won't be happy if I drive to the Cullens, but I will if…"

Angela shook her head. "No, not there. I can't see him right now," she said as fresh tears rolled down her cheeks.

Bella studied her distraught friend for a moment before looking back at the road. "The rez it is then," she murmured while drumming her fingers on the top of the wheel. Hearing no protests from Angela, she settled back in her seat and kept silent for the remainder of the drive.

* * *

Pulling up and parking in front of Sam and Emily's house, Bella looked at her friend and took her trembling hand. "What's happened Ang?"

Angela swiped at her cheeks and looked at the small home in front of her. "Where are we?"

"Sam and Emily's house. Only Emily's home at the moment though, and I thought you might like to come here instead of Paul's house. Maybe go in for some girl talk?" she asked with a rueful smile. "Emily's great at that but me? Not so much." She chuckled and tried to lighten the mood, but it fell flat.

"Don't sell yourself short Bella. You're pretty great." Angela met her gaze and choked on a sob.

"Papa kicked me out!" she wailed before throwing herself at Bella where she clung desperately as she cried. Bella patted her back awkwardly while reaching for a pack of tissues in the middle console. She handed them to Angela who took them gratefully. "Thanks," she said, sitting back and dabbing her eyes while looking a bit embarrassed. "I just—I dunno—I just never thought something like this would happen to me, ya know? I mean, I've always been a good, obedient daughter, and now, the first and only time I ever stand up to him, he throws me out."

"Why did he do such a thing?"

Angela took off her glasses and dried her eyes. "I told my parents that Edward proposed. Papa jumped to conclusions and forbid me to even see him anymore, and I stood up to him. I told him I'm eighteen and he can't stop me. He said that if I insisted on being rebellious, to pack and leave. Something having to do with being an example to my brothers."

"Oh Ang, I'm sorry."

Angela hung her head. "Me too, believe me."

Bella took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "So, what now?"

Angela looked at her and shrugged. "Girl time? I don't know…I just need to get some distance from it all and forget for a little while."

Bella smiled. "Then that's what we'll do." She popped open the door and hopped down, tilting her head toward the house. "Come on, I'll introduce you. Kim might even be here, since it's Saturday."

.

* * *

.

The pack met up in the usual clearing just behind Sam's where they all phased back and dressed in the clothes and shoes they'd stashed in personal gym bags before the meeting.

Sam, Jared and Paul were the first to finish and walk into the house where they all could hear the girls laughing in the kitchen.

Quil glanced at Jacob as he tied his shoes. "I smell food bro. Hope it's time to eat. I'm fuckin' starving."

Jacob finished with his laces and stood, zipping his bag and hanging it back on the hook for next time. "Yeah," he asked. "What else is new?"

Quil fell into step beside him and Embry joined them a beat later. "What's up with you man? You've been in a shit mood for days now."

Jake ran a hand over his hair. "My sister, Rachel, that's what."

"Shit," Embry muttered and Jake cut a glance at him.

"Exactly."

Quil grabbed his sleeve and tugged him to a stop. "Wait, she doesn't even live close, so how big a deal could it really be?"

A muscle jumped in Jake's jaw and he took a couple of deep breaths to calm himself. "She called saying she wants to come home, that's the big deal. I mean, after abandoning Dad and me for so long, now she wants to come home?! It's bullshit." With that, he stalked into the house, his two best friends trailing behind him silently.

Laughter tapered off as he entered the kitchen and he gave a mental sigh while grabbing a coke and taking the most out of the way seat he could find. He needed to get his anger and resentment under control because he could tell he was affecting everyone with his mood and none of them deserved that.

"Hi Jake," Bella greeted with a wave from where she sat, snuggled in Paul's lap.

"Hey Bella," he returned before taking a long pull from his soda.

"Everyone else has met my friend but you guys, since you were last to come in, so Angela, meet Embry, Quil and Jake."

He glanced up to see this friend Bella was introducing and froze the second his gaze met hers. "Oh shit," he muttered absently, feeling like the bottom of everything just dropped out from under him as she stared, caught up in whatever this fuckery was they were experiencing.

Oh, he'd heard all about imprinting, but did he truly believe it? Nope. Not until this very moment, that is.

Somewhere through the fog that was his brain function at the moment, he heard Bella's voice. "Ang? Jake? What's going on? Paul, what's wrong with them?"

Jake could literally hear the smirk in Paul's voice as he answered. "Nothing Shorty, just another little gift from the Spirits, as if the furry bullshit isn't enough."

"Oh shit," he heard her whisper.

_'Yeah, oh shit is right,'_ he thought with a mental eye-roll thrown in for good measure. _'How long is this girl gonna stare?'_ he wondered, knowing he was caught up until she decided to break the connection. He almost breathed a sigh of relief as Bella unknowingly helped him out by gently shaking the girl's arm.

"Ang? Angela?"

The girl turned to look at Bella. "Huh?"

"You okay?" she asked as Paul and several of the others snickered. He grunted as Bella's elbow connected with his gut. "Shut it you," she grumbled while watching her friend closely.

"Oh, yeah, I'm…fine," the girl said in a bit of a daze. Then she finally focused on Bella. "What—what just happened?"

Sam stood and tugged Emily up with him. "Jacob, Angela, why don't the two of you come with us and we'll explain all of this?"

Jake scowled but stood anyway. "Is this necessary?"

Both Sam and Emily answered simultaneously, "Yes."

Angela glanced at Bella who nodded. "It's nothing bad, I promise."

"All right," Angela said with a tiny smile. "I trust you."

She followed her hosts and Jake from the room and Embry turned to Quil, his eyes wide. "Did Jake just imprint?"

Quil shook his head and glanced up at his friend. "Jesus you're quick, huh? Like _lightning_. Nothing gets by you…"

Embry shoved him. "Fuck off."

"Poor Jake," Bella muttered and Paul nodded.

"No shit. To be the one wolf stuck with the leech lover…"

Bella calmly stood from his lap and shot him a dirty look before taking Jake's vacant seat. "We've talked about this Paul. She's my best friend. You could at least make an effort to be civil."

His expression darkened. "You need to try to see this from my side Shorty. She claims to be in love with a fucking corpse—a corpse I'm genetically engineered to hate with every cell in my body."

She crossed her arms over her chest and arched a brow. "You respect and, dare I say it, even like Jasper. What now?"

He sat back and crossed his arms over his chest. "So what if I do? And _like_? I wouldn't go that far but at least he's not a little _bitch_ like the one your bestie's all fuckin' wet for."

"Oooh shit," Quil muttered while hurrying from the room, dragging Embry with him. All the rest of the pack tried to be discreet as they left too while Bella's eyes narrowed at her mate.

Her mind raced, trying like hell to find something redeeming about Angela's boyfriend. When she realized she couldn't, her shoulders slumped and she scowled at Paul's smug expression. "Okay, maybe he is"—she leaned forward and whisper-shouted—"a little bitch, but she's my friend so quit calling her names like leech lover and we'll be good, got it?"

"I find it really hard to respect her Shorty. She pants after that little weasel like he's god's gift when he's really just a fickle little bitch. Trust me on this one Shorty, she's gonna end up regretting it."

Bella rested her head in her hand for a moment, praying for patience. She didn't want to fight with Paul, especially over Edward Needle-Dick Cullen. Finally, she looked up, her expression pleading. "For me? Be nice, please?"

She saw the moment he caved and a smile curved her lips as he sighed. "For now, that's all I can promise. She changes into one of them? All bets are off, even for her."

"That's fair," she said as she went back to him and straddled his lap. "Thank you," she said as she leaned in and kissed him. He cupped the back of her head and pulled her closer with a hand on her ass, deepening the kiss into a full-on make out session before a clearing throat broke it up.

They both looked up at Sam and Emily who were smirking at them. "We interrupting?"

"No," Bella said.

"Yes," Paul said at the same moment with a smirk.

Sam guided Emily back to their seats and drank the rest of his coke before speaking. "Well, our newest couple—if you can call them that—is talking things out now that they both know just what's what."

"Is that…typical of an imprinting?" Bella asked. "I mean, I only ask because we were already together before the whole wolf thing, and then his wolf marked me first before I knew it was him and I know none of that was typical."

Sam snorted. "You two are anything but typical, but you're right to ask because what happened between Jake and Angela is a little different. It seems the imprint happened, but there's something coming between them. I'm gonna take a guess and say it's because she feels she's in love with a leech."

Paul scoffed. "Yeah, that'd tend to fuck with any tender feelings he might have for her. I know it would for me." He shuddered. "Fuck, just the thought of kissing a stinking corpse's left overs…"

He hissed as Bella pinched his nipple. "Ow, shit!"

"You promised."

"Fine."

While this was going on, Angela walked back in. "Uh, Bella? Do you think I could get a ride to the Cullens?"

Bella got up from Paul's lap. "Sure, let me just grab my bag." She walked into the living room and Angela turned to Sam and Emily.

"Thanks for having me over and for explaining things."

Emily smiled. "Not a problem. Anytime you need to talk or just want to hang out, come on by."

Bella walked back in. "You ready Ang?"

"Yep."

Paul grabbed Bella and pulled her down for a kiss. "You're just dropping her off, right? You're not going in?"

She kissed him softly and smiled. "No dear, I won't go in. I'll drive by, slow down just enough so it won't hurt her too badly when I shove her out, and leave. Happy?"

He stood her up, turned her around and smacked her ass. "Very funny Shorty, now go before I change my mind."

Bella and Angela laughed as they walked to the door but Paul's voice stopped them just before they made it out. "Hey Angela!"

She turned and arched a brow.

"Remember sweetheart, tuck and roll."

She flipped him off and walked out as he shouted after them. "No bullshit Shorty! Don't get that stink in my truck!"

.

* * *

.

The Cullens were almost back to the house when Alice gasped and skidded to a stop, her eyes vacant as she watched a vision play out. "What is it Ali?" Jasper asked after giving her a moment.

"Oh no," she said, looking stricken. "Jasper," she muttered while grabbing his arm. "This is terrible! Poor Angela! Oh god!"

He hung his head for a moment as the others gathered around, Edward looking particularly upset as he paced beside the group. "This can't be true Alice," he muttered and Jasper's patience snapped.

"Tell me what this is about Ali, now. If it affects our safety, I need to know."

She met his gaze and nodded. "It really doesn't. It really only affects Edward and Angela."

"What is it then?" he demanded while looking between the two and Alice wrung her hands as she glanced at Edward with sympathy.

"Well, you see, in just a few minutes, Edward is about to meet...his true mate."

Esme gasped. "What?! I thought—we all thought Angela was his mate!"

"That's what I thought based on how I felt for her, Mother, but…" Edward trailed off and Alice picked up the explanations.

"The vision I just had was very clear. He will meet his true mate, mate with her and mark her, all within the hour. He won't be able to stop himself. From what I saw, he won't want to. There was no question or hesitation." She looked around at all of them. "The saddest part of all of this is that Angela will be here within the hour too. It seems her father kicked her out of his house because of her relationship with Edward. Bella Swan is driving her over."

Jasper rested his hands on his hips and hung his head. "Well ain't this a cluster fuck," he muttered before looking up at them all. His eyes narrowed when he caught Carlisle's emotions. The male had the balls to find this shit funny, although he did a hell of a job masking it. "All right," he snapped, "where is Edward supposed to be meetin' this mystery mate, anyway?"

"He can stay right here. If he does, she'll find him," Alice answered, her tone soft, knowing her mate was on edge at the moment.

"Fine," he said. "Edward, you stay here, the rest of you, get back to the house. We have a jilted human to head off and deal with." He pinned Carlisle with a look. "That sounds like a perfect job for Mommy and Daddy Cullen, so have fun with that," he finished with a smirk.

"Meanwhile, I got trainin' to coordinate and a battle to plan. Let's go."

**Your thoughts?**

**Please review!**

**'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	29. Chapter 29

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and any original characters therein. No copyright infringement intended.

A/N: Hi guys. As always, thank you so much for your reviews. Your support means so very much to me. Love to you all and I hope you enjoy the chapter. ~Spudz

.

* * *

.

_Previously: "Fine," he said. "Edward, you stay here, the rest of you, get back to the house. We have a jilted human to head off and deal with." He pinned Carlisle with a look. "That sounds like a perfect job for Mommy and Daddy Cullen, so have fun with that," he finished with a smirk._

_"Meanwhile, I got trainin' to coordinate and a battle to plan. Move it out, people."_

_._

* * *

_._

**Chapter 29**

Paul sat alone on the porch, head resting against rough-hewn cedar siding as he stared, unseeing into the distance.

Swirling the long-neck bottle held loosely in a hand propped on one knee, he scoffed as impossible thoughts entered his mind only to be dismissed the next second.

_'There was just no way…'_

The sound of the screen door opening caught his attention and he tensed until recognition kicked in. The scent was one he knew well and he glanced up a moment later as his brother joined him, handing him a fresh beer. "Thought you could use this," he said as he twisted the top off his own before taking a seat beside him. "What's up with you man?"

He set the fresh beer aside and glanced askance before taking a long pull from his open beer. "Whaddya mean?"

Rudy shot him a flat look. "This is me Paulie, the guy who's known you all our lives? Don't bullshit me. What's going on?"

He looked over and studied his brother's earnest expression. "You think Bella'd ever lie to me Rudy? I mean, about something really important?"

Rudy held his gaze for a beat before shaking his head. "No, I don't. She loves you too fuckin' much to risk screwing that up. Now, tell me what's got you even considering such horseshit."

He looked back out in the distance. "Her scent is off…"

Rudy's brows shot up and he chuckled. "Has she changed anything lately? Soap, perfume, shampoo? Anything could explain a change in scent, man."

"Not this kind of change," Paul muttered. "It's…shit it's tough to explain, but it's deeper than hygiene products or perfume."

Rudy took a long drink and shook his head. He couldn't believe they were having this discussion. He thought his brother and B were golden, especially since her birthday. "Is that all that's got your undies bunched? Her scent?"

Paul shook his head slowly. "No man, it isn't. I wish like fuck it was though." He downed the rest of his beer and set the empty aside before twisting the new one open. He turned and looked at his brother and Rudy nearly caught his breath at the fear in Paul's eyes. "I can hear another heartbeat when she's really close."

"What?! How…?"

Paul downed most of the new bottle in one go before staring down at the floorboards. "Come on Rudy, use your head," he said, his voice shaky, and Rudy's eyes widened as a tear fell down Paul's cheek before he could hide it.

"No man…there's no way she'd hide something like that from you! That's… No, there's just no way…" he finished weakly as Paul laughed bitterly.

"I'm not imagining this shit D. I tried to reason it away at first. I tried to convince myself I was hearing things…that there was a good explanation, but I've heard it clear as day, just today, while she sat on my lap." He looked into his brother's eyes. "It's stronger every day bro. I bet if you pay attention, you can hear it without getting as close as I've been." He downed the rest of the beer and slammed the bottle down. "What the fuck am I gonna do?" he asked, his voice cracking as he choked back tears that threatened to fall.

He looked back at Rudy, his expression fierce. "I swore—I _swore_!—I would never have kids. How can I pass on, not only the genes from that fucker we were cursed with as a father, but the rest of this bullshit too? How can I do that to a kid?" He picked up an empty bottle and hurled it against a nearby tree, shattering it. "And what kind of a father would I make anyway? All I know is screaming, hatred and getting the shit beat outta me!" He met his brother's gaze. "I can't do it, man," he said, his voice thready and weak as tears finally rolled down his cheeks. "At fourteen, I _killed_ the man I called my father, D. I stabbed him in the neck with a fucking kitchen knife and watched him bleed out and _die_… How can I curse a kid with me as a parent? I—I _can't_."

Rudy grabbed his brother and pulled him in tight, hanging on with everything he had as Paul shook in his arms. He wasn't sobbing, but silent tears were still wetting his face as he trembled without a sound. "It'll be okay, bro. I'm not sure how yet, but it will and I'm here for you. I'll always be here for you." He backed off to see his brother. "First thing's first though. You have to talk to Bella."

Paul growled and jerked away, eyes flashing and a cold look on his face. "No."

"Paul…"

"No! She _kept_ this from me, D." He looked over at his brother. "It's up to her to come to me, if she will," he said, his voice void of emotion. "It's time to see just how far she's willing to take this."

.

* * *

.

Bella glanced over at Angela as she drove. She'd been very quiet since leaving Sam and Emily's place and she was starting to worry. "You okay, Ang? I mean, I know you have a lot to think about, but you're awfully quiet over there."

Angela stared down at her clasped hands for a moment before nodding. "Yeah, I'm okay, considering. You're right though, I have a lot to think about." Abruptly, she began giggling and Bella's eyes widened as she glanced between her friend and the road.

"Ang?" she finally questioned when the giggles turned into tears.

Angela held up a hand and sniffled. "No, I'm okay, really. I just—god, I just…" She looked up at her friend, the look in her eyes desperate. "What am I gonna do, Bella? I'm practically engaged to a vampire, get kicked out of my home for it, and now a wolf imprints on me?! Who the hell does this kind of shit happen to?! Is this some sort of nightmare I'm trapped in?! Is it, Bella?! Is any of this real?! Fuck! I just—I just wanna _wake up_!"

Bella pulled off the road and put the truck in park before shifting in her seat to face her friend. She'd never really heard Angela cuss like this, so she knew her friend was about to lose it. "Angela, this is real," she said in a gentle but stern tone. "It's not a nightmare and you have to face that because none of this is going away." She reached over and took her friend's hand. "You're stronger than this, Ang, I know you are. I know today has been hell on you, but you're gonna get through it. We're gonna get you to the Cullen's house, you're gonna go upstairs, take a long, hot shower or bath and go to bed. When you wake up in the morning, you're gonna feel much stronger. You just need a little distance and perspective—time to get your mind around all this. Call me if you want, okay? Just…don't let anyone pressure you into anything, okay? Make it clear to Edward that you need some space to think."

Angela mopped at the tears on her face with a sleeve and nodded. "Yeah, you're right. That sounds like a plan."

Bella smiled and patted her hand. "You ready to get back on the road?"

"Yeah," she said with a sigh. "Let's go."

.

* * *

.

Jasper had just put down the latest Seattle paper when Alice knocked on his study door. "Come on in Ali."

The door opened slowly and she peeked around it with a smile. "Is it safe?" she asked, her smile growing into a grin when he rolled his eyes.

"You know it is…for you anyway," he muttered while waving her in.

She laughed softly and perched on the corner of his desk as he leaned back in his seat. "What's up?" he asked.

"Well," she hedged, "it's Angela…"

He held up a hand. "Oh no, you ain't gonna rope me into dealin' with any of that. I have enough on my plate as it is."

She frowned. "No, really Jas, listen. I really think we might have a problem. See, Edward isn't going to stay away from the house as long as I first anticipated."

His brows drew together. "Why not? Ain't he gonna be busy markin' and matin'? Hell Ali, mates usually stay scarce a couple a' days when they're bondin'."

She nodded. "I know, but in typical Edward fashion, this is gonna be everything but typical. See, I've finally seen just who…his mate is."

Jasper groaned and ran both hands over his face before pinning his mate with 'the look' as she liked to call it. "We know her."

Alice nodded.

"Tell me."

Alice cringed, her nose scrunching in distaste. "It's Jessica Stanley."

Jasper leaned forward and held his head in his hands as he slowly shook it. "Fuck."

"Yeah," Alice muttered.

"Not only that, but she's a newborn," he muttered.

"Yeah."

"God damn it Ali, why'd you and Rose have'ta leave them in PA?" Again he scrubbed at his face before throwing himself back in his seat, pinning her with that reproachful look again. "It's like one big slippery slope of fuckery."

"I know," she whispered. "I can't tell you how much I regret that decision. I'm sorry though."

He growled but nodded. "I know ya are, and there's nothing we can do to change any of it now. Jesus." He met her eyes. "So, now we have Edward bringin' a newborn here, earlier than we'd hoped, and two humans converging on the place to boot. Call him, Ali. Call Angela. Wave one of them off."

She wrung her hands together, her eyes apologetic. "I tried. They go straight to voice-mail, even Bella's phone."

His brows shot up and he shook his head, chuckling incredulously. "Christ, we're all gonna have to have a talk about stayin' available. Could this be any more fucked up?" He held up a hand. "Don't answer that. Just look and see if we can get to Edward to head him off."

She zoned out for a minute and shook her head. "My visions haven't changed. They haven't stayed where we left him and we won't find them in time."

"Shit."

He rose from his seat and held out a hand, which she took. "We need to get down there. I'm gonna have to be prepared to handle the newborn if—_when_—she loses her shit."

Alice rose up on tip toes and kissed his lips. "I'm sorry."

His lips quirked up on one side as he arched a brow. "You'll make it up to me later."

"I will," she agreed with a smile. "I promise."

.

* * *

.

Together they went downstairs to share this new development with the family, Alice nervously doing the honors. Jasper stood back with crossed arms and a smirk, his eyes on Rose the whole time, just waiting for the moment…

She didn't disappoint.

"There's no way in hell I'm gonna live in the same house as that bimbo! Jesus! Being stuck with Edward all these years has been punishment enough! No. I won't put up with that…that…"

"Fittin' punishment, don't ya think?" Jasper cut off her rant with a raised brow. "After all, you had a hand in what happened to her."

Rosalie's nostrils flared as she rounded on him. "Bullshit. They were just fine when Alice and I left them. Not our fault they got themselves bitten!"

Jasper merely stared until she dropped her gaze, her shoulders slumping. "Damn it," she muttered while running a hand through her hair as Emmett rubbed her shoulders. "Unbelievable."

"Believe me Rose, I don't think even one of us is thrilled with the prospect, but Edward is part of this coven and now she is his mate. We'll deal with things as they come along. In the meantime," his gaze swept the group, "we have two humans that are gonna be pullin' up here very soon and virtually no time to deal with them before the possible arrival of this newborn. Should that happen, Carlisle, I'm gonna need you to stick close to Edward and make sure he doesn't do anything stupid while I deal with anything his mate pulls. The rest of you need to make sure the humans are safe until we get them outta here. I'm pretty damn sure Angela's gonna be upset by this new development, but we don't have time to coddle her. The goal is to get her and her friend gone, the sooner the better."

"Why don't we just head Edward off before he gets here?" Emmett asked and Alice shook her head.

"I looked. There's no time to track him down. It's better that we don't split up so we're all here to deal with them as a group."

Jasper nodded. "Less chance of mistakes that way."

"Got it," Emmett said while grabbing Rosalie's hand and heading toward the door. "Let's do this thing."

With murmurs and nods, they all agreed and made their way outside.

They lined up in the drive, just in front of the front deck steps just as they heard tires on gravel.

.

* * *

.

The rest of the drive was silent, both girls lost in their own thoughts, but as Bella rounded the last curve in the Cullen's drive, her brow pinched. "Why are they all waiting outside?"

Angela shook her head. "I dunno. It's unusual, that's for sure. I mean, sometimes Edward will meet me outside, but not the whole family."

"Huh," Bella muttered. "Now that you mention him, I don't see him."

"You're right," Angela agreed with a squint. "Where is he?"

Bella slowed and pulled up to park. "Something's up."

Before they could get out of the truck, Alice walked up to Bella's side and waited for her to roll down the window. "Hi Alice," she said, noting the serious look on the vampire's face. "What's up?"

Alice glanced from Bella's face to Angela and back. "I'm sorry to say this, but you two are gonna have to leave. There's no time to be gentle or tip toe around it, and I can't express how sorry I am for that, but…Edward has mated. His mate is a newborn vampire and they're on their way back here. It would be bad for you two to be near when they get here."

"What?" Angela asked with fresh tears in her eyes. "He said—he told me I was his mate! He asked me to _marry_ him! Are you…"

Her sentence was cut off by an unholy shriek and the sound of bodies colliding as Jasper tackled and pinned a wildly struggling and growling female while Carlisle grabbed Edward. Jasper looked up, his eyes pitch black as he restrained the feral vampire. "Get them outta here Ali, damn it! Now!"

Alice turned to Bella, her expression desperate. "I'm so sorry. Call me Ang, and I'll try to explain, okay, but you need to leave, now."

Bella nodded as she started the truck and shifted into drive. "Bye Alice," she said and as she pulled out, Alice cupped her mouth and yelled, "Turn on your phones!"

"Shit," Bella said as she tore down the driveway. She wasn't wasting any time getting outta there. It looked like Jasper had the situation in control, but she didn't want to chance it. Throwing a quick glance at Angela, she pointed toward her bag. "Grab my phone outta the front pocket and check it will you?"

Angela dug it out and held it up. "It's dead."

Bella cringed. "Paul's gonna be pissed if he's tried calling me. Check yours."

Angela shrugged. "I turned mine off before leaving my parent's house. I didn't want to have to deal with hearing anything from my Mother."

Bella rubbed her forehead. "No wonder they didn't just call us. God, this was a major aw shit, as Charlie would say." She pointed to the glovebox. "There's a charge cord in there. Get it out and plug in my phone, will you?"

"Sure," Angela mumbled as she hooked the phone to the cord and plugged it in.

Now back on the main road to Forks, Bella ran a hand through her hair and shook her head. "You okay? she asked, feeling rather stupid for even asking.

Angela chuckled bitterly. "I think I'm in shock, to be honest. I can't settle on one emotion long enough to really feel it. I'm mad. I'm sad. I'm empty. I'm tired. I'm just…numb."

She stared through the windshield for a while before speaking again, her tone dull. "What am I gonna do now?" She looked over at Bella who glanced at her and back at the road. "I'm homeless, Bella. I literally have nowhere to go."

Bella shook her head. "Don't think about that right now. You're just gonna make yourself even more depressed. For now, I'll take you home with me. Lisa won't mind, I'm sure. She'll understand and we'll figure all this out later, after you've had some food and sleep, okay?"

Angela leaned her head against the window. "I don't think I can eat anything."

Bella frowned. "No, you're not gonna do this, Ang. You're not gonna shut down. It'll only make things worse. When we get there, you're gonna have a bath, then eat, then sleep. Tomorrow, we'll talk, okay?" She glanced over and Angela nodded.

When she pulled in and parked, Paul and Rudy were sitting on the porch, drinking beer. She opened the door and hopped out. "Hey guys, Angela's bag is in the back. Could one of you grab it please?" she asked as she walked around to help Ang from the truck.

Rudy glanced at Paul before getting to his feet and jumping over the railing. "Sure B. Where ya want it?"

"Um, the guest bath. She's gonna be spending the night on the couch in the study."

"Got it," he said as he hefted it and carried it into the house just ahead of the girls.

Bella paused and bent down, giving Paul a quick kiss. "Hi baby. I'm gonna show Ang in and get her settled and I'll be back."

"Sure," he said with a half-smile before taking a pull from his beer.

She blinked, her brow creasing in concern, but stood and walked Ang into the house anyway. She couldn't shake the feeling something was wrong though and that bothered her.

By the time she'd shown Angela around, drawn her a bath and got her settled, it was an hour later so she headed into the kitchen where she heard voices.

"Hi sweetie," Lisa greeted with a smile as she walked in. "I hear from Rudy we have a guest?" she asked from over her shoulder as she made dinner.

Bella greeted Charlie with a hug and nodded at Lisa as she went to the sink to wash up and help. "Yeah, my friend, Angela. It's a long story, but the cliff notes version is she got kicked out of her house and has nowhere else to go for now. I told her you wouldn't mind if she spends a night or two and we can find something more permanent later."

Charlie glanced up from the paper he was reading and cocked a brow.

"Of course!" Lisa said, looking concerned. "Poor girl."

Bella dried her hands and placed the towel down. "That's not the half of it, believe me. I'll tell you later, if that's all right? It's been a long day."

"No problem, Bella."

Bella smiled gratefully. "What do you need help with?"

"Um, set the table? That's about it. Everything else is done. Oh, and you don't need to set places for Paul and Rudy. They ate already because they had to leave. Something about training."

"Oh," Bella muttered. "I was hoping to talk to him." She moved around the table, setting the silverware and plates as Charlie eyed her.

"Something going on with you two?" he asked, folding his paper and setting it aside.

She shrugged and took a seat. "Nothing big. He just seemed quiet earlier when I got home, but I didn't have time to ask him about it. Well, I was going to talk to him after getting Angela set, but…"

Charlie nodded and got up to grab a beer from the fridge. "Well, don't let the small stuff bother you too much. There's a lot going on and he has a lot on his mind. It's probably just the stress."

Bella nodded and got up. "Yeah, you're probably right, dad. I'm gonna go get Angela. Be back in a bit."

She climbed the stairs and didn't hear any noise coming from the bath, so she went straight to the study where she found Ang, sitting on the couch and staring into space. Taking a seat next to her, she nudged her shoulder. "Come on, dinner's ready and you can meet Lisa. She's great, you'll like her."

Angela nodded and got up, silently following Bella back to the kitchen.

.

* * *

.

Jasper stood off to the side, watching the wolves tangle with his family members. At the moment, it was a free-for-all but earlier he'd had them practicing in alternating pairs, after having shown them proper technique for fighting untrained newborns.

He had to admit, he was impressed with how sharp they were, especially with the silver wolf, Paul. He'd known the wolf was a formidable opponent, but the sheer speed, skill and ruthlessness of the shifter, despite his obvious emotional turmoil, was most impressive.

"Damn," he muttered as he watched the silver wolf throw off three of his family members in a spinning twist of his body. He chuckled as Emmett, Carlisle and Rose picked themselves up and shook their heads.

Giving his watch a quick glance, he gave a quick, sharp whistle and motioned them all in, waiting for them to gather. "All right, I gotta say, y'all impressed me tonight. I feel confident that we'll be as ready as we can be after another session. However, I caution you against gettin' cocky. You get cocky, you get careless and that's never a good thing, so don't indulge.

"To the shifters, we'll be back here tomorrow, same time. You're welcome to join us. That is all. Have a good night." With that, he took off toward home, the rest of his coven following closely. Time to go see how Esme held up with watching the newborn.

.

* * *

.

Up in the highest boughs of the tallest tree she could find, and well down-wind of the pack, the vampire watched as the wolves gathered around two trucks, one red, the other dark blue.

Her eyes sparkled with malevolent glee as she watched the air around them shimmer, their bodies taking on their human form.

She was still amazed by that, even as she was repulsed by them. No matter how she abhorred their scent, they were still beautiful; especially one.

_Paul Lahote_

Old, fuzzy memories assailed her and with hungry eyes she watched as he stepped into snug jeans, tugging them up powerfully muscled legs to cover his perfect form.

She shivered and a smile of anticipation curved her blood red lips. "Mine," she hissed quietly as she watched him slip into a chest hugging t-shirt.

Yes, she'd made up her mind.

That was her goal.

_He_ was her goal…

After this fight, he'd be hers, and no one and nothing would stop her.

.

* * *

.

"You riding back with me?" Paul asked as he finished lacing up his boots. He glanced up and Jacob nodded.

"Yeah, if you don't mind."

He stood and dug his keys out of his pocket. "I wouldn't have asked if I did."

"Point taken," Jake mumbled.

Rudy walked by and flicked Jake's ear as he opened the passenger door on Paul's truck. "I ride shotgun, man."

Jake groaned and Rudy grinned and glanced around at the falling snow. "Unless you prefer to ride in the back?"

"Fine, I'll ride in the middle," Jake grumbled as he climbed in and sat. Rudy hopped in and closed the door just as Paul started the truck and pulled out.

"Seatbelts man, I don't need any more shit from Charlie," Paul snapped as he made a sharp left once they reached the main road.

Jake and Rudy secured their seat belts silently after glancing at each other. Rudy gave a subtle shake of his head, a 'not now' expression on his face and Jake got the message.

"What's been up with you lately, Black?"

Jake almost startled at the abrupt question and he glanced at Paul before answering. "My sister, Rachel. She showed up earlier today, suitcase in hand, and she's pregnant."

He thought he saw Paul tense at that but shrugged it off and kept talking. "I mean, she ignores us for _four_ years—I mean, not a word!—and now that she's knocked up and dumped on her ass, she wants her family? Convenient, don't you think? I mean, _now_ we're good enough?" Jake scoffed. "Fuck that."

Rudy smirked. "Don't hold back man, tell us how you really feel."

Jake shot him a dark look. "You guys wanted to know. I told you. Besides, it isn't like you don't know most of this since we patrol together. Nothing's private, well, except for you, Lahote" he said, glancing at Paul. "Lucky bastard."

"Yeah, real lucky…" Paul muttered and made a sharp right at the light.

"Jesus," Rudy cursed as the truck fish-tailed in the light coating of snow on the road. "Kinda hoping to get home alive, if ya don't mind, little bro."

Paul simply shot Rudy a glare before looking back at the road.

Jake glanced between the two brothers. "Seems like everybody's in a shit mood lately."

Rudy nodded and stared out the window. "Kinda does, doesn't it?"

Jake smirked. "At least Leah isn't such a bitch anymore now that…"

Rudy glared at him. "Finish that sentence and I kick your ass. Besides, her good mood went to shit when Sam designated her one of the 'pack watchdogs' as she so delicately put it."

Jake nodded. "Sucks to be singled out like that. I mean, being left with the two babies of the pack, watching over the rez while everyone else fights? I can see why she's pissed."

Paul shot him a glare. "Someone has to. They're the three weakest. That's the way it is."

"You sound just like Sam," Jake muttered and Rudy rubbed his forehead and kept his mouth shut. He had to agree, but there was no way he was gonna poke that particular bear, so to speak.

A tense silence settled over them for the rest of the drive and Jake almost breathed a sigh of relief when Paul pulled up to his little red house. "Thanks man," he said as Rudy popped the door and hopped out to let him by.

"Later kid," Rudy muttered before getting back in the warm cab of the truck.

After Paul pulled back onto the road, Rudy rolled his lips together and broached what he knew to be a sore subject. "You gonna ask her? Because I think you should just come out and ask her, bro. Just get it out in the open."

Paul's hands tightened on the wheel and a muscle jumped in his jaw. "No, I told you, I'm waiting for her to come to me. This is her news to tell and if she doesn't trust me with it, then I'm not gonna beg." He looked over at his brother, naked pain in his eyes before looking away. "I mean, if we don't have trust between us, what do we really have?"

"Give her time then, bro," Rudy muttered sadly. "I'm sure all she needs is time and she'll do the right thing. Just—just don't…take out your hurt and anger on her, okay? I care about her and I don't wanna see her get hurt."

Paul stepped on the brakes, bringing the truck to a skidding stop in his driveway as he stared straight ahead, one hand still tight on the wheel as he cut the engine, his solemn voice cutting through the sudden silence. "I'm not gonna ask why you felt the need to say that. I _know_ whose blood flows in my veins, so your fears are valid." He looked at Rudy, his eyes full of self-loathing. "Just know, I'll _never_ hurt her. I'd take myself out first."

With that, Paul opened the door and was gone before Rudy could utter a word.

"Jesus," Rudy mumbled to himself with a shake of his head. "Jimmy Lahote, I hope you're frying in hell…"

Slowly, he climbed down from the cab of the truck, closed the door and made his way into the house, intent on finding Leah. His heart felt sick and he needed her...desperately.

.

* * *

.

Bella came awake slowly, the feel of strong arms wrapping her naked form, combined with Paul's familiar, musky scent bringing a slow, sleepy smile to her face as he nuzzled her neck. "Hi baby," she whispered while turning on her side to face him, her fingers tracing down his temple and cheek as their eyes met and held. "How was the training?"

He stared for a beat. "It was okay." He pulled her closer, his mouth slanting over hers in a tender kiss that rapidly heated into more.

"Mmm," she said while pulling closer to him with a leg hooked over his hip.

"Bella," he whispered next to her ear, his sweet breath warm as he gently rubbed his cheek against hers. "I _love_ you," he said, and there was so much emotion in those quietly uttered words,—so much of his heart—tears sprang into her eyes. She'd never heard him sound quite like that and it went straight to her heart, making it skip a beat.

Nudging her gently to her back, he buried his face in her neck as her thighs cradled his hips and her breath hitched as he slid into her in one slow, powerful thrust.

She buried her hands in his hair and gasped only to whisper his name with the exhale, _"Pauulll…"_

His movements were slow and deep and deliberate—every motion he made conveying what he felt in his heart as he loved her, desperately, with his whole being.

Arching against him, she basked in the connection as pure, hot tears welled and spilled from the corners of her eyes, her head thrown back and breath escaping in quiet sighs as she clutched him close, her whole body slowly rocking in perfect rhythm with his.

"Oh god," she whispered as he held her face tenderly while whispering kisses over her lips as she tightened and quietly shattered around him.

Kissing her deeply, he found his own completion moments later, and he tucked his face into the soft, fragrant skin of her neck, taking in her scent as he slowly came back to himself.

Silently, he rolled to the side, pulling her with him to rest against the warmth of his chest and the soothing sound of his heart.

There she lay for moments, her heart now heavy with the secret she kept as his fingers slowly ran through the silken strands of her hair. "Paul," she finally whispered, feeling him tense just the barest amount.

"Yes?" he murmured.

"I—I need…" she hesitated.

"Yeah?" he prompted, his heart aching as the silence stretched.

"Nothing," she murmured. "It's not important."

With that, she settled in and slowly slipped into sleep as a single tear traced from the corner of Paul's eye to soak, unnoticed, into the pillow.

**Your thoughts?**

**Please review!**

**'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	30. Chapter 30

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and any original characters therein. No copyright infringement intended.

A/N: Here we are, another installment. Lots of people torked at Bella, but hey, she's young and scared and knows Paul doesn't wanna be a dad, ya know? I've seen lots of teens ignore unpleasant stuff in their lives, even to their detriment, simply because it seems easier not to face things until forced to. That's my take on it anyway, and I hope you'll stick with me. Rough times aren't over, but neither will I drag stuff out over multiple chapters. Angst just frustrates the hell outta me if it drags on and on. Will I use it? Yes. Will I use it ad nauseam? No. Anyhow, hope you find this chapter enjoyable. Let me hear from you at the end of it, yeah? Love and light, ~Spudz

.

* * *

.

_Previously: There she lay for moments, her heart now heavy with the secret she kept as his fingers slowly ran through the silken strands of her hair. "Paul," she finally whispered, feeling him tense just the barest amount._

_"Yes?" he murmured._

_"I—I need…"_

_"Yeah?" he prompted, his heart aching as the silence stretched._

_"Nothing," she murmured. "It's not important."_

_With that, she settled in and slowly slipped into sleep as a single tear traced from the corner of Paul's eye to soak, unnoticed, into the pillow._

_._

* * *

_._

**Chapter 30**

Bella awoke alone the next morning, the bed cold where Paul had lain next to her through the night. A small smile curved her lips as she thought about his tender lovemaking and whispered words from the night before. He really was beyond amazing and she loved him more than life. She knew it beyond doubt; knew she'd die for him without a second thought if it ever came to that.

_'So why can't you tell him?'_

Guilt pierced her happy bubble as her inner voice sneered at her and she rolled to her side to stare out the window. She needed to talk to someone, someone whom she could trust with this situation.

_'Rudy… No one knows Paul better…'_

With that thought, she sat up, slid out of bed and made her way to the bathroom to shower and dress for the day.

* * *

She found him in the kitchen, seated next to Leah who was softly laughing as he placed playful kisses on her neck and shoulder. "Stop, you horse's ass…" Leah muttered through her laughter, her eyes sparkling with love as she playfully shoved him.

He grinned. "You love this horse's ass though… Come on, admit it…you know you do…" he teased and she grabbed his face, her mock-stern expression cracking into a grin as he stared into her eyes.

"Damn it!" she cursed. "Why can't I ever seem to resist you?!"

He leaned back, placing a hand in the center of his chest, his expression one of utmost sincerity. "Because I, my darling, am irresistible; to try is a futile undertaking."

She rolled her eyes, leaned forward and kissed him before standing from her chair. "Morning Bella," she said as she took their plates to the sink.

"Good morning Leah," Bella greeted while grabbing a yoghurt and a water from the fridge. "Have you guys seen Paul this morning?"

Rudy stood and threw his empty water bottle in the bin. "Yeah, but he left really early. Had a construction job to finish up with Sam."

Her eyes went wide. "Today? I mean, with everything going on…"

Leah's brows rose as she leaned back against the counter and crossed her arms. "Life doesn't stop just because of all the supernatural BS Bella, and none of us are rich."

"I know that Leah," she returned with a frown. "It's just…tomorrow…"

Leah's expression hardened. "Yeah, there's a fight tomorrow, not that _I'll_ get to help out at all," she grumbled as Rudy wrapped his arms around her.

"Yeah," Bella murmured. "There's a fight tomorrow." She looked up meeting their eyes. "I'm scared for all of you guys, but especially for Paul. I guess I was just hoping we'd get to spend today together—I mean until he has to go back for training tonight at least."

Rudy stared down at the floor for a moment. "I doubt that's gonna happen B. After work, he has training and then he's scheduled for patrol with me. By the way, you and the other imprints—including Angela—are supposed to stay at Sam's starting this afternoon, until this shitstorm is over."

"Yeah, and I get guard duty with the two puppies, yay me," Leah groused.

Rudy kissed her cheek, whispering, "Sorry baby," into her ear as Bella stared out the window with a sigh.

"Okay," she said, resigned to not seeing Paul until everything was over. Shaking off her melancholy, she looked back over at Rudy. "Hey D? You have time for a talk?"

Bella ignored Leah as she pulled away from Rudy and walked out grumbling, "It's about time".

"Yeah sure B." He glanced at his watch. "I don't have to leave for another hour or so and by your tone, it sounds serious."

"Yeah," Bella admitted with a nod. "Yeah, it is."

"Okay," he said slowly as he crossed his arms and leaned against the counter. "So, right now then?"

"Um, lemme just make sure Angela's set for the day and I'll…"

"No need!" Leah called out while leading a harried looking Angela toward the front door. "We're heading over to my dear, sweet cousin's house. Girl time and all that shit. Fun times. Catch you guys later." The door slammed behind the two girls and Bella raised her brows at Rudy, who shrugged.

"Guess she thinks we really need that talk."

Bella narrowed her eyes. "_Why_ would she think that?"

He sighed and gestured to the chairs at the table. "Have a seat B."

She pulled out a chair and sat and he took the one right next to her, turning it so his arms rested across the back as he faced her.

Her stomach felt like lead as he stared at her for a moment. "What do you know, D?" she finally asked when she couldn't take his silence anymore.

He pursed his lips and cocked a brow at her before giving a curt nod. "All right B, no bullshit and no dancing around, because, frankly, I'm fuckin' sick of it.

"Paul knows. Hell, now that I'm paying attention, it's pretty fuckin' obvious and I'm not sure _how_ I missed it before."

Bella's heart stopped, then took off and she felt cold sweat break out on her brow. "Paul knows _what_?"

Rudy shot her a disdainful look. "No bullshit, remember? He knows you're pregnant, B. He told me a couple of days ago, but he's known longer than that. Said your scent had changed and he can hear another heartbeat." Silence stretched for moments until she found her voice.

"Oh god, I fucked up," she whispered while staring at her lap.

"Kinda tough to hide shit from us, B. Wolfy senses and all that…"

She looked up. "Why didn't he say anything?"

"Because he's a stubborn ass. He was waiting for you, B. Said it was your news to share and I guess he wanted to see if you'd…trust him enough."

"Shit."

He snorted. "Yeah, you could say that." He eyed her for a bit as she sat, head hanging down and hands wringing in her lap. "Why _didn't_ you tell him, B?"

"I was…afraid of his reaction." She finally looked up. "I know he doesn't want kids and why, and I just knew…I just knew he'd freak, D."

"And this current situation is so much better than the imagined one?"

She glared at him. "Of course not, but I—I panicked and put it off and then other things came up—things I didn't want to ruin, so I just…yeah…and here we are," she finished weakly and he nodded sadly.

"Yep, here we are."

After a few moments of silence, he sighed and leaned back. "So, what now?"

She looked up, her eyes full of apprehension. "I have to tell him."

He laughed but there wasn't any humor in it. "I would say so, B, but at this point, it's more like coming clean. Then, no matter how hard it is, you two need to talk it out. That means no running for either of you when it gets heated, and no hedging; no half-truths. You both need to lay it all out there and face it. That's the only way you're gonna fix this. Fortunately, I've never seen two people who love each other like you two do. You'll both get through this, and at the risk of sounding mature and philosophical and shit, you'll be stronger for it."

She cracked a reluctant smile and glanced up at him as he grinned and waggled his brows. Shaking her head, her smile gave way to a chuckle at how ridiculous he looked. "Philosophical and shit?" she asked with raised brows.

He shrugged. "That's as deep as I get, B. Don't worry, I'll bill you."

"Ha, ha," she said while peeling the label from her water bottle.

"So, what about the school thing?" he asked, deftly changing the subject.

She shrugged a shoulder. "I'm done. They're supposed to send my test results and diploma within the month."

"And _then_ what?"

She stared at him for a moment before shaking her head. "I…don't know. I mean, I used to know, but now?" she mumbled, looking back down at her lap.

Her head snapped up when he actually growled. "Am I gonna have to kick _all_ your asses? Jesus! I'm surrounded by little pity parties these days! What the fuck?! It's seriously starting to piss me off."

She gaped at him. Rudy was usually a very laid-back guy, so this reaction shocked her. "Wha…?

He leaned forward, his expression fierce. "Where's your spine, god damn it? I know you have it. I've seen it before, now dust that fucker off and stop acting like the world ends tomorrow. We're gonna go out there, kick some sparkly ass, light the fuckers up and be home for dinner, so stop moping. Get your shit together. Make plans. _Live_ for fuck's sake!"

She stared at him, wide eyed and mouth hanging open as she processed his tirade. When it finally sank in she laughed—genuinely—until tears came to her eyes. When it finally tapered off into chuckles, she stood up, went to him and hugged him. "Thanks D," she said as she straightened and retook her seat. "I needed that verbal kick in the ass."

"No argument from me, B and you're welcome. Like I said, I'll bill you."

She smirked. "Thanks again D, but don't quit your day job," she said as she picked up her spoon and began eating.

.

* * *

.

Jacob climbed the steps to Sam's house and hesitated at the door, one hand raised to knock. She was in there; he could feel it.

His stomach felt like he'd consumed rocks for breakfast and to be honest, he'd felt this way since imprinting on Angela—'I'm in love with a fuckin' leech'—Weber.

He stood there for moments, hand poised at the door frame and head down before blowing out a breath and shaking his head. "Sack up, Black," he muttered as his knuckles rapped on the wood.

"Come in!" called Emily, so he opened the door and walked in.

"Good morning Jake," she greeted with a smile as he walked into the big, eat-in kitchen. "We're just finishing up breakfast, and Sam's gone on a job with Jared and Paul. Embry and Quil are patrolling. Did you eat yet?" she said all in one breath and he blinked at her before shrugging it off.

"Yeah," he said with a weak smile as he dragged a chair out from the table and sat. "My sister cooked, if you can believe it." He looked around the table, his eyes hesitating in surprise at Leah's presence before continuing on to settle on Angela.

She blushed and looked down into her lap. "Good morning Jacob," she murmured.

"Angela," he said with a nod while reaching for a cup and the coffee pot. "Surprised to see you here without Bella," he said as he filled his cup.

She looked up. "Oh, uh, Leah brought me. Bella needed to talk to Rudy about something."

Leah snorted and Jake ignored it.

"She'll be here soon," Angela finished quietly before taking a sip of her drink.

"Cool," he said with a shrug as he sloshed the fourth spoon of sugar into his cup.

"Little coffee with your sugar there Jake?" Leah asked with a smirk as he put two more in before stirring.

"Stuff tastes like shit otherwise," he said before taking a long sip with a grimace. "Fuck, that's nasty."

"Why drink it then?" Emily asked with a smirk and Jake's brows shot up.

"You're joking, right?"

"No," she said. "You could drink those energy drinks or something else instead."

"Yeah," he scoffed. "Do I look like I'm made of money? The amount of caffeine I consume would break me if I bought those things."

"I see your point," she said with a nod.

Angela finished off her juice and Jake could literally feel her eyes on him so he looked over and cocked a brow.

"Need something?" he asked when all she did was blush.

"Yes, actually. I was wondering if we could go somewhere and talk."

"Sure." He choked down the rest of his coffee and stood, gesturing toward the door. "We'll be back in a bit," he said as they walked to the back door and stepped out.

"So, where to?" she asked, glancing around the yard and surrounding trees.

"Come on, I know just the place."

He guided her through some trees and down a path that wound its way down to the beach. Once there, he looked around and walked her over to a fallen log where he sat and leaned back on his elbows. He chuckled ruefully when she simply stood there, shifting from foot to foot, looking very awkward. "Have a seat Angela," he said with a sigh. "I promise not to bite."

Quickly, she sat and rubbed at her sweater-clad arms while looking out at the waves. "So, here we are," he muttered, breaking the tense silence as he too stared at the crashing waves.

"Sorry," she said with a frown. "It's just—this is _so_ hard, you know?"

He glanced at her. "No, I don't. Not really," he said matter-of-factly. "What's so hard about it? It's not like I'm gonna jump you any second or something." He sighed tiredly and ran a hand through his hair. "Look Angela, I'm just a guy, all right? I'm not gonna hurt you or demand things from you, or even judge you, so relax. Just be you and I'll be me—no strings, no expectations, okay?"

She looked at him then—_really_ looked at him—for the first time and smiled in gratitude and relief. "Yeah, okay."

He stuck out a hand and smiled warmly, one cheek dimpling a bit. "Hi, I'm Jacob Black. Nice to meet you."

With a laugh, she took his hand—a feeling of home and safety flooding her at the contact. "I'm Angela. Nice to meet you too."

.

* * *

.

Bella shivered and pulled the hood of her borrowed sweat shirt up over her head as she walked through the familiar woods just off of Lisa's property line.

She'd found herself alone with nothing to do after Rudy'd left for a catering job in Port Angeles, and so, instead of staring at walls, a book or the TV, she'd decided a walk was in order. _'I'll be cooped up inside soon enough,'_ she thought with a frown at the prospect as she dodged a few low branches.

Soon enough, she broke through to the clearing where she'd encountered the old woman and the wolves and a sense of peace settled inside her as she took a seat in the very middle where a shaft of sunlight struggled through to shine down on her.

Criss-crossing her legs, she closed her eyes and raised her face to the warm light, breathing in the rain-fresh air as she relaxed—_really_ relaxed—for the first time in weeks. _'I should come here more often,'_ she thought with a tiny smile.

"You should," a familiar wizened voice agreed with her inner thought and her smile grew as she opened her eyes.

"Hello again," she said with a laugh as two white wolves padded up to her to nuzzle and sniff at her neck and cheeks as she buried her fingers in the fur of their necks.

When they were through with their greetings, they plopped down in the soft forest scrub on either side of her, their attentive gazes locked on the old woman as she lowered herself on a fallen log. "Hello young one."

"I haven't seen you for a while," Bella said and the old woman inclined her head.

"I come when I'm needed."

Bella felt a sense of foreboding and frowned. "And you're needed now?"

"I am," said the woman, never taking her soulful eyes from Bella's.

Bella swallowed hard and ran her fingers through the fur of the wolf to her right. "Why?" she asked in little more than a whisper, heart pounding in fear of the answer.

"You and your wolf will be tried, girl, very soon. The spirit of the Raven shadows you both. He is waiting."

"Waiting? For what?" she choked out past the lump in her throat.

"To see if you will fail your trial, girl."

"My trial? What trial? What do I have to do?"

"Yes, your trial, girl. When the shadow descends and the great wolf comes to guide you, he will tell you what you need to do, but you need to be strong, for yourself and for your wolf. Only _you_ can save him, and only _he_ can save our people. Do you remember what I told you? This is your purpose."

Bella leaned her head against one wolf while petting the other before sitting up with a nod. "I remember and I'll—I'll do my best."

The woman stood and walked toward Bella. Looking down at her, a tear rolled down her weathered cheek as she leaned down and cupped Bella's face in wrinkled hands. "Your heart will bleed with pain and loss young one, but you must endure it. You must be strong for our people. Know that the Spirits will bless you if you do."

She stood and walked away then, slowly disappearing into the trees as Bella dropped her head and wept while two white wolves curled around her.

.

* * *

.

Four cloaked figures stood on the roof of a building, looking down, distaste plain upon their porcelain features as they watched an army of newborns wreak havoc on a group of humans they'd been fed by their handler.

"It looks as though our intelligence was correct sister," one figure observed, his tone low to avoid detection.

"Indeed brother," said an icy voiced female, her glittering ruby eyes fixed on the mayhem.

"Shall we move on them now?" Another male asked, the lust for battle clear in his eyes as he glanced at the female.

"We shall not. Our orders are clear; Aro wants us to observe them for a time. Armies are always created for a purpose, Felix. Part of our task is to find out what that is. Only then do we eradicate them; not before."

"Very well," he said with a nod as his gaze went back to the bloodbath below. "We shall wait."

.

* * *

.

Jasper Whitlock grinned as the silver wolf evaded his grasp yet again, spinning on his haunches to pin him with a glowing amber gaze that was just this side of feral.

With a dark chuckle and an unholy light in his own eyes, Jasper crouched on the balls of his feet and crooked a finger at the snarling wolf. "Again," was all he said and the wolf flew at him, his speed breathtaking, even for an immortal such as himself.

Flipping to the side with a body-spinning twist at the last nano-second, Jasper cursed as he felt those lethal teeth graze his neck on the way by, grass and dirt spraying in an arc as the massive lupine body skidded to a stop before spinning back to face him once again.

"That was close, pup," he drawled with a shake of his head. "Let's see if ya can get closer."

They kept this up for a while, neither one gaining the upper hand as the rest of the pack and the Cullens sparred against each other, spread out over the clearing.

Eventually, everyone else halted what they were doing to watch the two born-warriors, both too stubborn to cede defeat or call it a draw as the moon slowly trekked across the sky.

Chuckling darkly, Jasper stared down his opponent. "Gettin' tired pup? I think ya are. Come on fur ball, catch me…if ya can."

With a vicious snarl, the silver wolf lunged while Jasper spun and struck out. What he hadn't counted on was the wolf twisting in mid-air, despite the solid hit he took to his side, and to everyone's shock, when the dust cleared, the silver wolf had the legendary God of War pinned on the ground, massive paw in the center of his chest and lethal teeth at his neck.

"That's a kill, vampire," Sam said proudly, having phased back and dressed earlier to watch.

"It is, indeed," Jasper conceded as the wolf let him up and backed away, a glow of triumph in his amber eyes. "Congratulations pup. You have my respect," Jasper said as he stood and looked his lupine match in the eye.

"You're ready."

**Your thoughts?**

**Please review!**

**'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	31. Chapter 31

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and any original characters therein. No copyright infringement intended.**

**A/N: Wolf speak in _Bold Italics_**

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* * *

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**Chapter 31**

Bella stared out the window of the room she'd shared with Angela, icy cold dread filling her at the sight of freshly fallen snow blanketing the ground. "Just as Alice said it would be…" she muttered, her breath fogging the cold glass.

Angela stirred on the bed. "Bella? You say something?" she mumbled, still caught in dregs of sleep as she rolled over and blinked at her friend.

"No, sorry Ang, just thinking out loud. Sorry to wake you," she said as she turned from the window with a pasted-on smile.

She'd been up for a while now, unable to sleep knowing what was coming today. She was terrified but trying desperately to hold it together. Now wasn't the time to go to pieces. It wouldn't change a thing, and only make things worse.

"Oh, okay then," Angela muttered, already falling back to sleep as she rolled back over and pulled the covers up.

Glancing at the clock by the bed, Bella slipped out of the room, deciding it was late enough to get to the kitchen and maybe help Emily with breakfast.

She was expecting Paul to come in from patrol too and she wanted to see him for a bit before he grabbed some sleep. He'd only have a handful of hours before having to go to the clearing for the anticipated fight.

She walked into the kitchen and smiled at Emily who was stirring a massive pan of scrambled eggs on the stove. "Morning Bella," she greeted with a strained smile.

"Morning," she returned. "Anything I can help with?"

Emily glanced around and shook her head. "Really not, everything's pretty much done and staying warm in the oven. Just need to finish up the eggs. Grab some coffee and keep me company?"

"Sure," Bella said while taking down a mug from the cabinet. She filled it from the massive coffee urn on the counter and took a seat at the table. Taking a careful sip of the brew, she relaxed back and looked around the room as Emily gave the eggs a final stir and placed a lid on the pan.

"There," she said as she picked up her own cup and sat by Bella. "The guys should be here soon. Sam got up early to take a run around the rez, just to make sure everything's okay." Bella nodded and Emily shrugged a shoulder. "I guess he's worried leaving Leah and the two young one's here alone, but from what he said, it can't be helped."

"I guess not," Bella said with a nod. "I'm not too worried about that part. What scares me is the fight they'll be facing." She met Emily's eyes. "I'm terrified."

Emily gripped her hand. "Me too."

Kim ambled in at that moment and smiled weakly before taking down a cup and filling it with water for tea. She stuck it in the microwave and turned to face them while she waited. "Morning," she said while covering a yawn. "Gosh, sorry."

Emily laughed. "It's okay. I think we're all short on sleep."

Bella frowned, thinking of Paul and his lack of sleep.

"Oh, I know! I feel sorry for whoever was stuck with patrol last night. No sleep and then having to go out and fight…" Kim trailed off when Emily shook her head. "Oh god, sorry…it was Paul, huh?"

Bella smiled sadly and took a sip of coffee. "Yeah, Paul and Rudy…"

They fell into a strained silence while Kim made her tea and took a seat. "They should all be here soon, huh?" she asked and Emily nodded.

Jared walked in, fresh from his shower and picked Kim up, spinning her around. "Hi baby," he said as he set her down, grabbing a juice from the fridge just as Sam walked in. "Boss," he greeted with a grin.

"Jared." Sam went to Emily and kissed her cheek before looking at Bella. "Paul and Rudy were right behind me. Should be in any minute."

"Thanks," she said with a smile as Emily got up and started pulling all the food from the warm oven and setting out plates.

Just as everyone grabbed plates, the rest of the pack showed up and got in line for food. It was chaos, but something Bella was slowly becoming used to.

She'd just risen from her seat when she felt strong arms pull her back against a firm chest. "Hi shorty," he murmured against her neck as she closed her eyes and smiled, savoring the feel of him against her.

""Hi," she said, turning in his hold to kiss his lips. "I missed you last night."

He tucked some hair behind her ear while looking into her eyes. "I missed you too."

A laughing Quil jostled into her and Paul shot him a glare. "Sorry Bella," the young shifter said with a grin as he shoved Embry in retaliation.

"Cut the shit," Paul grumbled. "You're in the house now…act like it."

"Agreed," Sam said with a pointed look at the two. "Save it for outside," he said before sitting beside Emily with his loaded plate.

"You better get some food before it's all gone," Bella said and Paul nodded and grabbed a plate.

"You eating?" he asked while loading his plate.

"Just some toast. I'll save a spot at the table." He nodded and she sat down next to Rudy. "Morning D," she said as she grabbed some toast.

"It is," he said as he took a huge bite before shooting her a closed lipped smile.

As everyone got their food and sat down, the noise died down drastically, all of them seemingly lost in thoughts and no one willing to bring up the elephant in the room. It was obvious to Bella though, they all were thinking about the upcoming fight.

She glanced up as Kim broke the tense silence. "God, you guys are quiet."

They all stared around at each other, before going back to eating. Leah scoffed. "What do you expect?"

"What do you mean?" Kim asked with a confused glance at Jared who shoveled another bite into his mouth without comment.

Leah's fork clanked onto her plate. "You can't possibly be that dense."

They all looked like they were watching a tennis match as they stared back and forth between the girls. Bella sighed. "Kim, everyone's quiet because of the fight that's coming up. They're tense, even though no one wants to admit it. It's perfectly natural though and nothing to be ashamed of."

"Yeah, and maybe some of us are just pissed because we're on babysitting duty instead of getting to fight," Leah sneered with a dark look at Sam who slammed a fist onto the table.

"I've had enough of your verbal jabs to last a lifetime, Leah. You have your orders and you will carry them out without further complaint," he said in a tone that left no room for argument.

She dropped her gaze and nodded and only then did Rudy relax. He didn't think his mate was crazy enough to confront the Alpha, but he'd been ready to step in if necessary.

Just then, Jake walked in, looked around and smirked. "Damn, you guys are a chipper bunch this morning. Somebody piss in the cornflakes?" he asked as he loaded a plate and straddled a chair. He looked over at Quil who shook his head so he shrugged and began eating.

As some of the pack began to finish up and clean up their places, Sam sat back and tossed his napkin on his plate. "Okay, we know what we have to do today. Rudy, Paul, you two grab some sleep. We'll wake you when it's time. Everyone else, stick around until it's time to go. We don't want anyone getting sidetracked."

The sound of chairs scraping back from the table filled the room and Bella got up to help but before she could even grab a plate, Emily laid a hand on her arm. "Go, be with Paul," she said as her eyes tracked his exit. "We'll get this and I'll keep Angela company. Just concentrate on you for a bit."

She smiled gratefully. "Thanks Emily."

"Anytime," she said with a smile. "Now go. He needs you."

She walked into the room she'd shared with Angela the night before and placed the fresh bedding on a chair while she stripped the bed. Paul was still in the shower and she wanted him to have a fresh bed to sleep in.

She'd just finished up when he walked in, a towel wrapped around his hips as he dried his hair with another. "Hi," she said, her mouth going a bit dry at the sight he presented as droplets of water traced the muscles of his chest and down into the towel.

The look in his eyes was heated as he dropped the towel into a basket and pulled her close. "You have too many clothes on," he said before dipping his head for a breath-stealing kiss.

She gasped as his kisses moved to her neck while his hands roamed her body. "You're moving fast today, Lahote," she breathed as he began to peel the shirt from her body.

"No time to waste," he mumbled into her skin as she felt her bra drop from her body next.

His hot mouth closed over her nipple and she buried her hands in his hair with a throaty moan. "Fuck, you feel good."

He scooped her up and laid her on the bed before working the button and zipper on her jeans and she helped him by toeing her shoes off and wiggling out of the pants as he pulled.

"God, you're beautiful," he said as he stared down at her while tossing her clothes away.

"So are you," she said with a smirk as she nudged his towel loose with a foot. "But you're too far away for my liking."

His hands glided up the calves of her legs, his lips closely following that path as she sank her fingers into his damp hair.

He paused at the top of her inner thigh, and sucked a strawberry mark into the creamy flesh there as his fingers glided through her folds. "Yes," she whispered while rocking her hips as her legs fell open.

"Don't you…need sleep?" she asked with a gasp as his fingers entered her.

He smirked. "Fuck sleep," he muttered before circling her clit with his tongue as she moaned and gripped his hair.

He brought her to orgasm quickly, covering her mouth with his own to swallow her cries as she came. Not giving her any time to recover, he slid into her with a guttural grunt and a solid thrust of his hips as she wrapped her legs around him. "Can't get enough…" he muttered as he braced one hand by her head and set up a brutal pace, neither of them noticing as the headboard thumped against the wall with every firm stroke.

Reaching down, he held up her hips with one strong hand, making the angle just right and she arched into him, her arms circling his neck as they kissed. "Fuck shorty…so tight…so good…" he said with a gasp as he pounded into her mercilessly.

She felt herself tightening around him and looked into his eyes. "I love you," she said as he rocked into her.

Something flashed through his eyes, something intense that she couldn't quite name.

"Do you?" he asked as he strengthened his thrusts with a throaty grunt, the headboard now slamming into the wall.

"Yes!" she cried with a gasp as she dug her nails into his back, arched up and came around his plunging cock with a gritty moan of his name.

Two more thrusts later, he slammed home, his cock pulsing as he filled her with a growl against the sweat damp skin of her neck.

Pulling out, he flopped down next to her, his eyes already closing as he pulled the sheet up to cover them. "Paul?" she said and he wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close without opening his eyes. "Shh, sleep now," he mumbled. "Need sleep."

With a sigh, she relaxed against him, his breathing already deepening as she stared out at the lightly falling snow. "Guess we'll talk later," she murmured quietly and slipped out of bed.

After a quick shower to freshen up, she went back out and started a load of bedding in the washer before walking out to the living room to join everyone else. She saw Angela sitting in a quiet corner with Jake and smiled. They looked comfortable with each other as they talked and she couldn't help but think that her friend would be fine. She knew it would take time for Angela to get over Edward, but looking at her friend now, she knew she would. Jake would be good for her.

Seth, Quil and Embry were busy playing some kind of video game on the flatscreen so she didn't want to bother them either.

With a sigh, she decided to head to the kitchen where she found Emily, Sam, Jared and Kim sitting at the table. "Hi guys," she greeted.

"Hi Bella," Emily said. "Didn't expect you back out here for a while."

Bella filled a cup with coffee and took a seat at the table. "Paul's asleep and I just couldn't sleep anymore," she said with a shrug before taking a careful sip from her cup as Jared smirked.

"Between you guys and Rudy and Leah, I'm surprised Sam has any bedroom walls left standing."

Bella blushed hotly and Sam shot him a glare. "Shut it Jared."

"Sorry about that," Bella mumbled and Emily laughed.

"Don't worry about it Bella, Jared's just being an ass. He shouldn't have brought it up."

"No, he shouldn't have," Sam grumbled and Jared shot the Alpha a sheepish look before glancing at Bella.

"Sorry."

She waved him off and took another sip of coffee. "So, have you heard from the Cullens?" she asked, looking at Sam who nodded.

"Yeah, their leader called this morning just to check in." He glanced at the clock. "We'll head out in two hours. We want to be set before there's any chance of the leeches showing up."

Bella's stomach dropped. "Two hours…" she muttered just as someone knocked at the door.

Emily got up to answer it and moments later walked back in with Charlie and Lisa. "Dad," Bella said as he pulled her up from the chair to hug her. She clung to him and buried her face in his flannel shirt, taking comfort from his familiar embrace. She didn't realize how close to the edge of losing it she was until that moment as tears filled her eyes.

"Hey kid," he murmured as he held onto her. "It's gonna be okay…"

She nodded against him and let go, stepping back only to be grabbed and hugged fiercely by Lisa. "Where's Paul?" she asked as they all took seats around the table while Emily got them coffee.

"He and Rudy were on patrol all night. They're sleeping now." She looked at the newcomers. "You guys staying here for the fight?"

"Yeah sweetie, Paul wouldn't hear of anything else and we didn't want him to be distracted with worrying about us," Lisa answered with a wan smile.

Just then, Billy Black rolled into the kitchen and Jared jumped up and moved a chair to give him a place at the table. "Thanks kid," he said while settling in. He sent a smile at Emily who placed a fresh cup of coffee in front of him.

Bella smiled at him. "You meet Angela?"

"I did!" he said with a nod. "She seems like a sweet girl."

"She is and Jake seems to be good for her."

"Hmm," he said while taking a sip from his cup. "I think they'll be good for each other. It's been…tough at home for him since his sister came back."

"How's all that going?" Charlie asked with a pointed glance at his oldest friend.

Billy sighed. "Like I said, it's tough. She's a mess…pregnant and understandably upset about the baby's father, but she got herself into this mess… We're her family though, she's my daughter and I can't leave her out in the cold, no matter Jacob's opinion on the whole thing…"

"He'll get over it," Charlie muttered and Lisa nodded.

"I'm hoping so, with enough time," Billy said.

"Just wait until the baby's born," Emily chimed in. "Baby's have a way of fixing everything."

Bella choked on a sip of coffee and Charlie fixed her with a shrewd gaze. "You okay Bells?"

"Yeah Dad, just went down the wrong pipe," she murmured behind her napkin.

"Uh huh," he said, dropping it after staring at her for an uncomfortable beat.

Tension set in after that, thick and cloying and nobody seemed willing to break it until Jared got up and grabbed a deck of cards. "You guys are killing me," he mumbled while opening the deck. "So," he said looking around at everyone at the table as he sat back down and held up the cards. "Texas hold 'em?"

"I'm in," Bella said, sounding relieved and everyone else nodded and muttered their agreement as Jared shuffled and dealt.

Just over an hour later, as a delighted Kim was raking in the pot, Sam glanced at the clock and rose from the table. "Time to wake up Paul and Rudy. We need to head out pretty soon."

Bella got up too. "I'll do it," she said but slowly slid back into her seat as Leah walked in shaking her head.

"No need. I woke them. They'll be out in a few," she said while grabbing a water from the fridge and taking a seat. "Lisa, Charlie, Billy…" she greeted. "Here for the party?" she asked with a smirk.

Billy sent her an admonishing glance. "I wouldn't exactly call it that, but yes. Your parents should be joining us shortly too."

"Good thing Sam built you a big house, eh Em?" she asked with a glance at her cousin who merely nodded. Though things were better between them since she and Rudy got together, they would never be the same. She still felt betrayed and probably always would and Emily seemed to know it.

Sam still went into the living room and a few minutes later, as Jared put away the cards and chips, Jake, Angela, Seth, Quil and Embry walked in, taking up spots around the fringes of the room.

Paul walked in a bit after that, running a hand over his damp hair and Bella stood and went to him, wrapping an arm around his waist as Rudy and Sam entered. "Okay," Sam said, raising his voice slightly to quiet everyone. "We're all here with the exception of Brady and Collin who are patrolling already. Leah, join them as soon as we head out. Keep a close eye on the residential areas, but this place especially." She nodded wordlessly as a muscle jumped in her jaw. "Good," he said before sweeping all the others with a steady gaze. "Remember your training. Don't get cocky or careless and watch each others backs as much as you can without getting distracted. If possible, work in pairs and remember not to tear the hell outta the ones with golden eyes," he finished with a smirk.

Just then, the door opened and Sue walked in carrying a heavy medical bag. Her husband Harry followed with another bag and she motioned to the door. "I have an exam table in the truck, if one of you guys would go get it please?" She looked at Sam. "I understand you have a room for me to set up in?"

"Yeah, I do. Emily will show you to it."

"Great," she said putting her bag down on the table. "First, I'd like to say something to the pack."

He nodded. "Go ahead."

She turned toward them, making sure she had their attention before speaking. "I've spoken with Dr. Cullen. He's told me to reiterate the importance of not allowing these beings to bite you. Based on tests he's done on the blood samples I took from you, their venom is poisonous to your system and unlike with a normal human, will kill you instead of…changing you. Exactly how long that might take is unknown. We're hoping, if the worst happens, we'll have time to filter the venom out, but there's just no way to know, so just…stay away from their teeth…and stay safe," she finished weakly as she glanced at her son and daughter, a sheen of tears in her eyes.

Everyone nodded and Paul pulled Bella close, leaned down and kissed her softly. "I love you and I'll see you later," he said fiercely as they all said their goodbyes. Bella nodded as her throat closed up with emotion.

Lisa walked up as Bella let him go and swiped at some stray tears. "Paul," she said before grabbing him into a hug. "Be safe, and come back to us," she murmured into his shirt and he squeezed her and laughed it off.

"We got this," he said with a smile before heading out the door with all the others.

"Rudy!" Bella called out and he turned at the back door, one brow cocked. "Be safe? And…watch out for him, will ya?"

He smiled, a bit sadly she thought. "I will B," he said before walking out and closing the door.

Bella stood staring at the door until Charlie walked up and hugged her. "We'll make it through this Bells. He's a strong fighter. He'll be okay. We gotta believe that and hang on until this is over."

"I know Dad," she said with a nod. "It's just hard."

"Okay," Sue said, sounding determined as she cleared her throat and wiped her own tears. "I have a triage to set up. Any volunteers?"

Bella stepped up along with Angela, Emily and Kim. "Good," Sue said with a nod and a smile. "Let's get to it then."

The pack gathered in their usual clearing just outside Sam's property and began stripping down. "Make sure you tie on some shorts and that you have a lighter with you. I'm not sure how spread out we'll all be in the end, so everyone needs their own supplies, just in case. We don't want any leeches getting away because we're off looking for a lighter to borrow." He eyed Paul who rolled his eyes while waggling a lighter which he promptly tucked in the small pouch tied to his ankle.

"Yes Mother," he said with a smirk at the other Alpha. "I think we all got it."

Snickers broke out through the pack and Sam grumbled something like, "Pain in my ass" just before phasing into a giant black wolf who loosed a deep growl for good measure.

"Yeah, yeah, scary," Paul said just before bursting into the form of the silver wolf and taking off at a dead run.

_**"Stay together!"**_ Sam ordered as they ran. _**"Paul, are you in the loop?"**_ he asked, never sure about the lone Alpha wolf.

_**"Yeah, I'm on and I'll stay on, just to keep you happy."**_

_**"Good,"**_ the black wolf grumped through the link. _**"It'll make things easier."**_

_**"Aw, you're worried about little ol' me?"**_ the silver wolf taunted from where he led the group.

_**"Let's just say I don't wanna see Bella grieving should something happen to your ass."**_

That seemed to sober them all and they fell silent for the rest of the run to the clearing where the Cullens were already waiting.

They stopped and gathered at the edges of the woods as the leader—Jasper—and the mind reader approached.

Jasper nodded to the black wolf and then to the silver wolf before speaking. "I thought I would bring Edward along. He can convey messages from you to me and save you the trouble of shifting back and forth. The black wolf inclined his head while the silver wolf snarled and Jasper looked to Edward with a smirk.

"The black Alpha agrees with that," Edward relayed.

Jasper cocked a brow. "And?"

Edward huffed. "And the silver Alpha said something I'd rather not repeat, but he agrees—reluctantly."

Jasper chuckled and looked back at the wolves. "Fair enough. Now, down to business… I'm thinkin' you and your pack should stay tucked away behind the woods until the entire army enters the clearing. When they do, y'all circle around behind them and drive them toward us, that way they got nowhere to run. Sound good?"

The black Alpha gave a nod and the prowling silver Alpha snapped his jaws while staring at Edward whose eyes widened as Jasper glanced at him. "I take it they agreed?" he asked dryly.

Edward nodded. "They—they did," he answered, swallowing thickly and Jasper shook his head and turned back to the wolves.

"We're down one fighter. Esme had to stay home to babysit Edward's new mate, but I don't see it bein' a problem. All the same, I thought I'd mention it in case ya notice the difference in our numbers."

"Sam says that's fine and thanks you for the information," Edward intoned.

"And the silver Alpha?" Jasper asked, just for shits and grins.

Edward glanced askance. "He said—he said he'd tell me to go fuck myself, but he doubts…" He huffed again and shot a look at Jasper whose brows were reaching higher by the moment. "Do you really need to hear this?"

Jasper laughed. "Nah, that's okay Eddie. I can imagine well enough. He turned back to the wolves with a grin. "Well, that's it then. All that's left is the waitin' and the ass kickin'. I'll leave y'all to it and see ya when it's through."

He walked over to where his family had lined up at the very end of the clearing and took the center position, standing feet shoulder width apart and hands tucked at the small of his back, a determined, slightly feral look on his face.

The wolves, meanwhile, drifted back into the woods, just at the side as they waited and watched. They were all expecting the army to enter the clearing at the other end, based on the little psychic's visions. When they did, the wolves would make their move.

Moments of tension later, they began to hear the sounds of a large group approaching. It seemed they weren't concerned at all with stealth as they finally broke through the tree line, some of them actually snarling as they began to run when they sighted their opponents.

A high cackling laugh brought up the rear of the army and she fairly skipped into the clearing, one arm of her shabby coat hanging limply at her side as she grinned widely. "Go get them my darlings!" Her grin morphed into something feral and sinister as she shrieked, "Tear them apart!" before joining the fray herself.

When the army reached the middle of the clearing, Jasper signaled and the Cullens took off, clashing with the gangling and grasping newborns with deadly effect.

At the same time, the wolves crept around through the trees and closed in from the other side, effectively trapping the now struggling army as jaws snapped and tore into wailing and shrieking bodies, slinging pieces and parts, heads and torsos as an outraged Victoria screamed and raged, her wild red eyes rolling as she turned to escape.

She'd just made it to the edge of the woods and was about to jump into a tree when the jaws of the silver wolf caught her leg and dragged her down. "No!" she screeched kicking him solidly in the front leg and snapping the bone as he shook his head, finally tearing her other leg off at the hip. Hopping forward to keep weight off his broken leg, he snarled and closed his jaws over the back of her neck as she desperately tried to crawl away. With another shake of his head, he tore her head off and tossed it feet away from her wriggling body.

Turning back toward the clearing, he surveyed the goings on before tapping into the mental link. _**"Everything under control?"**_

_**"Everything's good. Aside from the clean-up, it looks like we're done here with minimal injuries. I think Jared has a nasty gash in his side but it's not a bite, thank god."**_

_**"Good,"**_ Paul said, hopping over to a stand of trees. _**"My arm is broken and the bone's displaced. I'm gonna phase, get dressed and maybe get a ride back to your place from Jasper. There's no way I'll be able to run on this in wolf form."**_

_**"Yeah, go get taken care of. The rest of us will help out with the clean-up and see you later."**_

Paul phased and sat down at the base of a tree. "Fuck," he said with a hiss of pain as he looked at the bone protruding from his forearm. Struggling with one hand, he'd just untied his shorts from his leg and was slipping them on when something landed on his back from high above, pinning him to the ground as it hissed, "Mine!" before sinking razor sharp teeth into his neck. With a loud, pained growl, he phased back and threw the thing off of him. He could see now it was a female leech and his heart took off in panic. **_"She bit me!"_** he screamed in his thoughts. _**"The bitch bit me, oh fuck…she bit me…"**_

_**"Paul! Paul, answer me god damn it!"**_ He heard Sam through his thoughts, but couldn't seem to manage a coherent answer.

Watching through his rapidly dimming vision, he struggled to stay lucid as the leech reached toward him with a hand, a smile on her face. "You're mine now," she whispered manically. "I've always wanted you, ever since that bonfire, but you never called… You remember me? My name's Lauren. I think…I think I've loved you since that night at the bonfire. I waited for you," she said, pointing up into the tree. "I didn't fight…didn't care about the bitch's fight. I was only here for you and now you'll change and be mine forever."

_**'Crazy…'**_ ghosted through his poisoned, hazy mind. _**'The bitch is crazy…and this is how it ends…'**_

The next second a huge black blur slammed into the side of the leech and while he tore her to pieces, the rest of the pack arrived and could only stand by, horrified as the silver wolf shimmered back into his human form and collapsed.

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"Well, wasn't that interesting?" a cold female voice intoned as her glittering red eyes took in the columns of purple smoke rising from the clearing she and her companions watched over from high on a hilltop.

"It was, sister," agreed a deceptively young looking male as he adjusted the cowl of his heavy black cloak. "Master Caius will be very interested, at the very least."

She turned to him, a smirk on her lips. "Yes, I think all the brothers will be pleased with our little excursion."

"Not Marcus," the large male commented dryly and she sniffed.

"Fair point Felix. Nothing phases Master Marcus. Still, we should get back and inform Masters Aro and Caius of what the Cullens have been up to." She began walking and the others fell into step beside her. "Wolves," she scoffed. "What were they thinking?"

"What indeed, sister," the young male sneered. "I'm quite sure Master Caius will want to take care of the problem without delay."

"Hmm," the blonde female intoned. "Perhaps, but these things take planning, Alec. These beings must be studied thoroughly before we attack. You saw their abilities against our kind. It wouldn't do to lose a war to them."

"Indeed not," the largest male snarled, then grinned. "But I admit, I look forward to clashing with them."

The blonde female sneered. "Males," she muttered as she took off running. It was time to get back to Italy.

Time to carefully plan before striking.

**Your thoughts?**

**Please review!**

**'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	32. Chapter 32

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and any original characters therein. No copyright infringement intended.

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_Previously: "She bit me!" Paul screamed in his thoughts. "The bitch bit me, oh fuck…she bit me…"_

_"Paul! Paul, answer me god damn it!" He heard Sam through his thoughts, but couldn't seem to manage a coherent answer._

_Watching through his rapidly dimming vision, he struggled to stay lucid as the leech reached toward him with a hand, a smile on her face. "You're mine now," she whispered manically. "I've always wanted you, ever since that bonfire, but you never called… You remember me? My name's Lauren. I think…I think I've loved you since that night at the bonfire. I waited for you," she said, pointing up into the tree. "I didn't fight…didn't care about the bitch's fight. I was only here for you and now you'll change and be mine forever."_

_'Crazy…' ghosted through his poisoned, hazy mind. 'The bitch is crazy…and this is how it ends…'_

_The next second a huge black blur slammed into the side of the leech and while he tore her to pieces, the rest of the pack arrived and could only stand by, horrified as the bleeding silver wolf shimmered back into his human form and collapsed._

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**Chapter 32**

Jasper had just tossed the last twitching piece into a fire when he noticed all the wolves take off like their asses were on fire. "Wonder what that's about?" Carlisle mused and Jasper shook his head, his brows rising as he read the emotions of the group. They were panicking and some were…mourning?

"I think we need to get over there," he said before taking off, Carlisle right behind him.

When they got there, there was one of the young shifters holding an obviously injured pack mate against him as he knelt on the snowy ground. The two vampires zeroed in on the shifter's bleeding neck wound immediately. "Was he bitten?!" Carlisle snapped, shouldering his way through the group despite the dark looks and snarls such a move garnered. The shifter holding him—Rudy, if Carlisle had heard correctly—looked up as tears coursed down his cheeks. "Yes," he choked out.

It was all Jasper needed to hear and he flashed forward, hitting his knees and covering the wound with his mouth as Carlisle did all he could to hold the pack back.

"Stop!" he yelled. "He's trying to suck out the venom. Let him do this. It's Paul's only chance!"

"You'd better be telling the truth!" screamed the normally mild mannered Embry and Sam clamped a hand on his brother's shoulder.

"Calm down. Anything he does at this point can only help." Embry looked into his brother's eyes and saw the words he'd left unspoken: That even if the vampire killed Paul at this point, it would be a mercy.

He looked back in time to see the vampire spit and go back to sucking as the other vampire called his other son over.

"Edward, go to the house and get Jasper's truck—hurry!" Edward nodded and flashed away as Carlisle turned to Sam. "As soon as he gets back with the truck, we're going to transport him to your home. I spoke to Sue and she should have a room set up for emergencies." Sam nodded and Carlisle called out for Emmett who flashed to his side. "Emmett, I need you to get the ventilator and the other medical supplies and equipment from my office—don't forget the small electric cooler, son. It's full of blood and he's going to need it. Meet us at the treaty line."

"Sure thing Pops," Emmett said and took off.

Carlisle turned back to Sam. "You're still okay with letting us on the reservation?"

Sam's glittering dark eyes studied the vampire Doctor for a moment before giving him a sharp nod. "I spoke with Billy, he agrees, I don't have much of a choice."

Carlisle nodded grimly. "No, you don't. Not if you want him to have a fighting chance."

Jasper leaned over and spit one last time before looking up at Carlisle. "His blood's as clean as I can get it without killin' him from blood loss. His heart's slow but steady."

Carlisle nodded just as Edward skidded to a stop in the truck. "Let's get him loaded then."

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Bella stood, staring out the kitchen window as everyone else sat at the table, finishing up lunch. She'd been unable to eat anything, her stomach tied in knots from worry.

Charlie watched her, his brow creased as she twisted a napkin in her fingers. "You sure you won't eat, Bells?" She didn't answer and he exchanged a look with Lisa who patted his hand and shook her head.

Bella had just lifted her wrist and was toying with the bracelet there when pain, sharp and sudden shot through her chest, taking her breath away. "Paul…" she said as tears sprang into her eyes. "Oh god, please, no…" she begged as Charlie and Lisa shot from their seats to hold her up from collapsing.

"Bells? Bella?! What is it?!" Charlie asked gruffly.

Just then, they all heard the long, mournful cry of a wolf and Bella looked into her father's face. "It's Paul…something's really wrong."

Lisa choked on a sob but helped Charlie guide Bella to a chair where she sat, looking numb as her tears fell silently.

"How do you know?" Charlie asked as everyone else stayed silent, grim faced.

"I feel it," she muttered, staring blankly into space. "I feel his pain and his s—soul cries out to me." Tears dripped from her chin and Charlie nodded, placing an arm around his wife as she cried.

"I can't lose him Charlie…I just…can't," Lisa cried quietly into Charlie's shoulder.

"Shh," he whispered into her hair. "You won't. He's a fighter. We'll see him through whatever this is, but let's just see what we're facing before we grieve, okay? It may not be serious at all. We just have to wait and see." He met Billy's grim gaze across the table and his heart sank at the look in his oldest friend's wizened eyes—the eyes of a Chief, eyes that at that moment, seemed to reflect all the sorrows and souls of his ancestors.

Sue walked in just then and the color drained from her face. "What is it?" she asked, her tone just above a whisper. "What's happened?" Before anyone could answer however, her phone buzzed and she answered, her expression firming into that of a seasoned medical professional. "I'm as ready as possible, Dr. Cullen. We'll be waiting," she said as her eyes locked on Lisa. She ended the call and spoke, her gaze briefly touching on Bella's terror filled eyes before going back to Lisa. "Paul's been bitten. They're transporting him now and should be here within minutes. Dr. Cullen is with him."

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The trucks tore into the yard in front of Sam's house, kicking up sprays of snow and damp earth as they skidded to a stop.

Almost before the last displaced clump of earth hit the ground, the trucks were vacated and the forms of shifters and vampires alike were flashing to and fro, everyone busy with either clearing the way or getting things set up to receive the injured Alpha.

With gentleness that belied their haste, they offloaded Paul and carried him to the room where Carlisle waited to try to save the young shifter.

Sue was standing off to one side, her head still trying to wrap around the speed with which the vampires had moved as they set up the many pieces of high tech equipment they'd brought with them. What had been a good sized room was now quite cramped and she shook her head as she took it all in. "Is that a dialysis machine?" she asked as Carlisle quickly and skillfully intubated his patient.

"It is," he answered as he hooked Paul to the ventilator and heart monitor. He then began inserting one of the many large bore IV lines he intended to start.

"Is that how…" she began but Carlisle spoke over her as he continued working.

"Time to talk later. I need a minimum of four IV lines going. Get to it, or get out of the way."

Sue shook herself. "Of course. My apologies," she said as she donned some gloves, grabbed a kit and began to search for a good vein.

As she got her line in, she noticed Cullen had finished with three and was now busy hooking Paul to the dialysis machine she'd been questioning. When he'd done that, he hung three bags of O negative blood from the three lines he'd started while leaving hers as just a simple saline drip for the moment.

As he monitored everything, noting with satisfaction Paul's rising heart rate and oxygen saturation levels, he nodded toward a stainless steel tray next to her. "There a cath kit there. Feel free to start it. I think this is going to be a very long battle for his life so we need to set him up for everything."

"Of course," she nodded and changed out her gloves for fresh ones before getting started.

Once she was done and they'd cleaned up their patient and covered his lower body with a sheet and light blanket, Carlisle eyed the distraught woman for a moment before speaking. "My apologies for being short with you, Mrs Clearwater."

She shook her head. "None needed Dr. Cullen. I wasn't exactly at the top of my game here, I freely admit. I should be apologizing to you." She shook her head. "Seeing you in action… Well, you're very good. Any patient is very lucky to have you as their doctor. It's obvious, the rumors are true—you know your stuff."

"Hmm," he made a noncommittal noise as he checked and adjusted the drip lines again, just waiting for the blood bags to empty so he could replace them. "The proof is in the pudding, as they say. We'll see if I can get him through this before we start lauding my prowess, shall we?"

She smiled and nodded. "Sounds fair to me."

A light knock at the door drew Carlisle's attention and he smiled sadly as Bella peeked around the door. "Dr. Cullen?" she croaked, her voice rough and raw with emotion. "May I see him?" She stepped just inside the door and closed it behind her, her eyes now riveted to the still form on the bed. "I just—I just need to see him…please?"

Carlisle nodded. "Of course Bella." He indicated a spot by the head of the bed. "I think if you stand just there, you'll be out of the way and we can work around you."

Her eyes flitted to his and she gave him a nod as she moved toward the bed. "Thank you," she murmured.

He caught Sue's eye and motioned toward the door. "We'll give you a few moments of privacy," he said as he and Sue exited and softly closed the door behind them.

Bella stood for moments, just taking in all the tubes and wires that she knew were keeping Paul alive, and fresh tears fell from her eyes as she found his hand tucked under the sheet and grasped it. It was warm, but not nearly as warm as she was used to and it made her heart ache, just knowing that the fire inside him—the fire that made him who he is, was waning. Still, she brought his hand to her chest and bowed her head over it, placing a kiss to the back before nuzzling her cheek against it. "Paul," she murmured. Looking up at his face, she reached up and lightly traced her fingertips over his brow and temple; the only places she could touch his face really because of the vent tube and tape. "Please fight this," she whispered. "Don't leave me. We…" she choked on a sob and squeezed his hand tightly. "I never told you—I should have told you—but, you're going to be a daddy," she choked out, her voice breaking as she broke down and quietly cried. "You can rage at me later, okay? I swear, I'll sit there and take every bit of it, gladly. I know I deserve it. You can tell me what a rotten liar I am for keeping this from you for so long, and how pissed you are for all of it, just please, wake up? Pull through this and come back to me?"

Her tears dripped on his bare chest as she slowly leaned over and laid her head against him, just listening to his heart beat as she closed her eyes. "You're my everything," she whispered, "and if your light goes out…" she trailed, her tears pooling and running off of his chest as she cried.

At that moment, the door opened and Carlisle walked in, carrying a small, padded chair which he placed just behind her. "Isabella," he murmured sadly as he guided her into the chair. He handed her a small box of tissues. "While I understand your pain, you'll not be any good to him if you don't take care of yourself." He folded his arms and ducked his head to catch her gaze and she nodded while drying her tears. "Is it safe to assume you're suffering a bit of guilt?"

She chuckled humorlessly. "Yeah, you could say that," she scoffed.

"You didn't tell him about the pregnancy."

"No," she choked. "I didn't."

Carlisle sighed and nodded. "Take some advice from a relic like me?"

She gave him a wan smile and nodded.

"I think we're in for a bit of a fight here, my dear, and you're going to need every bit of strength you can muster to get through it. Now, I may sound callous, but you've had a good cry and now it's time to soldier on. He's likely to have good days and bad days and you're going to have to get through them all."

She met his gaze. "So what your saying is man up? Grow a pair?"

Carlisle raised a brow and smiled softly. "Yes, something like that."

He went back to tending his patient, replacing the empty blood bags with full ones and Bella rose from the chair. "I'm going to send his mother in, is that okay?"

"That's fine, just keep it to one person at a time. It's really all we have room for, at least until we can get some of this equipment out of here."

She nodded and walked out, heading through the living room packed with expectant, somber faces and into the kitchen where Lisa was sitting at the table with Charlie, Billy and Rudy.

"How is he?" Lisa begged as soon as she stepped into the room.

Words died on her lips and she froze for a moment under Lisa's hopeful gaze. "He's…"

God, how could she possibly describe it? The tubes, the wires, the ominous sounds of the machines now keeping him alive, the deathly stillness of him as he lies there caught somewhere between life and death…

Frankly, there were no words, so she didn't even try. In a hollow monotone, she muttered, "You can go in and see him now. Dr. Cullen's with him and he'll fill you in."

Lisa shot from her seat and raced out of the room and Charlie got up to follow when Bella stopped him with a hand on his arm. "There's only room for one at a time Dad, I'm sorry."

With a tired sigh, he scrubbed over his face with a hand and nodded before sitting back down. Bella slid into a seat and it was only then that Rudy looked at her. "It's bad, huh?" he asked, his tone not really questioning so much as stating fact so she nodded.

"Yeah, it is."

He reached over and grabbed her hand and they sat there in silence for a while, just hanging on to each other until the silence was broken by Billy's phone ringing.

He pulled it from his shirt pocket and answered. "Black here." He sighed. "Yeah Harry, some of the Cullens are here. Yes, they're here with my knowledge and consent… You… Look…"

He growled in frustration. "If you'd just shut up a minute, I'd tell you what the hell's going on! I'm fully aware your wife's here damn it! It was a life or death decision, you asshat! Paul Lahote was bitten by one of those things…"

He slammed a fist down on the table and Bella jumped. "No, it wasn't a Cullen that bit him but it damn well may be a Cullen that's saving him and that's why I let 'em on the rez!"

He was silent for a few moments before heaving a deep sigh. "You do that Harry. Whatever you and old Quil feel is necessary. For now, they're here and until Paul's life is no longer in danger, Dr. Cullen will continue to be here." He paused and listened. "Yeah, I guess we will see, won't we? Goodbye Harry."

He pocketed his phone and glanced around the table. "Sorry about that."

Carlisle walked into the kitchen then and Billy eyed him warily as Charlie stood and shook Carlisle's hand. "How's Paul?"

"Right now, I'd classify him as critical. He's on a ventilator to help him breathe since he was having difficulties with that when he arrived. It's still very early yet, but his heart is strong and he's showing no signs of organ failure. I'm giving him blood to replace what he lost and I have him on dialysis. I'm hoping it will filter the toxins of the venom. If that works, he might have a chance. I'll be doing periodic blood tests to see if the venom is destroying the healthy blood cells. That will determine how long he remains on dialysis. My son Jasper sucked out as much of the venom as was safe before we transported him, so I'm…cautiously optimistic."

Charlie nodded, looking numb as he stared at the table. "Is he awake at all?"

"No, he is comatose and has been since collapsing from the bite."

Charlie looked up. "Lisa…my wife knows all of this?"

Carlisle nodded. "Yes, I explained everything to her, though I'm not sure she'll remember much of it. She was very distraught."

Rudy finally looked up, his cheeks wet with tears as he met Carlisle's steady gaze. "Give it to us straight. What are my brother's chances?"

"I cannot quote you a percentage if that's what you mean. There's just no way to do that. What I can tell you is that vampire venom is fatal to shifters and yet your brother lives. Hang on to that and lean on whatever faith may sustain you. It's all any of us can do."

He looked at Billy. "Chief Black, I couldn't help but overhear parts of your earlier phone call with Mr. Clearwater. I will go now and tell the rest of my coven to return to our home. I have everything I need here now and no longer require their assistance. Perhaps that will help appease your fellow council members who are disturbed by our presence here?"

Billy nodded. "I think it might. Thank you," he said grudgingly. "And thank you for being willing to save one of our boys. Our people owe you a debt."

Carlisle shook his head. "You owe me nothing Chief Black." With that, Carlisle left the room and headed outside to where Jasper, Emmett and Edward were waiting, leaned up against Jasper's truck. After a brief conversation, they loaded up and left and Carlisle came back inside and went straight back to his patient.

Bella watched as Rudy dried his eyes on his sleeve, his hand still clutching hers tightly. "How are you holding up, B?" he finally asked and she blinked.

She thought about that for a minute, then shrugged a shoulder. "I feel…disconnected, empty…I dunno really. It's…hard to describe how I feel. At first, when it first happened, I could feel him reaching out to me. I could feel his pain through our bond and now…it's just…so distant, I can barely feel anything," she said, her tone robotic as she spoke. Rudy's breath hitched and fresh tears filled his eyes.

"Don't say that, B. He's still there, we have to believe that. He's still there, you just…you just have to find him."

"How do I do that, D?" she murmured while her finger traced the silver wolf on her bracelet.

She raised her head and they stared at each other for a few beats until he slowly shook his head. "I don't know, B. I don't know…but I wish I did."

Just then, Sam walked into the kitchen, shocking Bella as he knelt beside her chair and took her hand. He spoke with quiet dignity as he stared at the floor. "Bella, we're going to hold a bonfire for Paul tonight on the beach. It will be just the pack—none of the other imprints—but I thought it right to extend an invitation to you. It's going be a ceremonial thing where we appeal to the Spirits…for Paul's soul…"

She squeezed his hand and he met her gaze. "I'll be there, and…thank you."

He gave her a curt nod, stood to his full height and walked out. Only then did Bella notice Billy staring at her. "What?" she asked, feeling like a bug under glass for some reason.

"The Alpha knelt to you, and you're being included as a full member of the pack, not just a mate; this is a great honor Bella."

Numbly, she nodded. She just couldn't find it within herself to be impressed at the moment…and she was tired…so tired. A yawn escaped and Charlie eyed her for a moment. "You need sleep, Bells."

"I'll be fine, Dad, besides, it's the middle of the day, and I should get back to Paul when Lisa comes out…"

Rudy stood and tugged her up from her chair before scooping her into his arms. "Yeah B, and you have a bonfire to attend tonight, so you should grab some sleep while you can. The Doc'll let you know if there are any changes with Paul, so no need to sit and stare at him, either," he said while carrying her back toward the room she'd slept in the night before.

"What the hell, D? Put me down!"

"Nope," he said while nudging open the door. "You need sleep, and I'm gonna stay right here and make sure you get some. Paul will have my ass if I don't take care of you while he's out of it," he said with a sad smile as he climbed onto the bed, leaned back against the headboard and pulled her into his side. "Now, go to sleep," he ordered while pulling a quilt over her. It was quiet for minutes until Bella spoke.

"Rudy?" she said while resting her head on his chest.

"Yeah?" he responded quietly while watching fat flakes of snow fall just outside the window.

"Thanks for staying with me."

He tightened his hold on her just a bit as a wan smile curved his lips. "You're my brother's girl, B. I'll always be here for you. Now be quiet," he said while giving her a mock scowl. "I was just dozing off."

She laughed softly, her eyes slowly closing as she muttered, "Sorry," before dropping into a deep, exhausted sleep.

**Your thoughts?**

**'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	33. Chapter 33

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and any original characters therein. No copyright infringement intended.

A/N: Hi all. As always, my love and thanks to the many who reviewed. We made it over the 2k mark on reviews! I'm blown away, really. Y'all keep me going. To Anon, thank you for the correction. I knew it was an O and I made the rookie mistake of not fact checking before publishing. Thanks for calling me on my bullshit. :-) Love and light to you all, ~Spudz

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**Chapter 33**

Harry Clearwater couldn't have been more pissed off if he tried as he climbed the porch steps to Sam Uley's house, banged on the screen door, and turned to watch his old friend and fellow elder, Old Quil Atera hobble with his cane to catch up.

He couldn't believe that Billy Black had given consent for a Cold One to, not only come onto their lands, but occupy the same space as his wife! And he hadn't even consulted him or the rest of the elders either…

Jacob Black opened the door just as Old Quil, cane in hand, huffed his way to the top of the steps and Harry greeted him with a grim nod. "Where's your father?"

"Kitchen," Jacob said but when Harry would have shouldered his way past, he stopped him with a hand on his arm. "There are people sleeping in here, so if you guys could try not to scream at each other…?" he asked with raised brows while the younger Quil helped his great-grandfather into the kitchen.

Harry scowled, just thinking of the reasons he was there. "I make no promises."

With a sigh and a shake of his head, Jacob let him go and he stalked toward the main target of his ire: Billy Black.

When he stepped into the kitchen, the somber mood of his friends at the table stopped him short however, and with a tired sigh, he pulled out a chair and sat down.

"Coffee?" Charlie offered while refilling his own cup from the fresh pot Emily had just placed on the table. She and Kim were busy working on dinner for the unanticipated houseful they were hosting. Needless to say, their presence, and the overall dire mood in the house had a dampening effect on Harry's anger and he sat back with a nod. "Yeah, coffee sounds good."

"Look Harry," Billy began, but Harry held up a hand and shook his head. Truth be told, he was feeling like a bit of an ass now that he'd witnessed the mood of everyone in the house.

"No Billy, I guess I owe you an apology. The boy's life is at stake and despite being what he is, and as much as I hate having to admit this, I've heard nothing but good things about Cullen's skill as a doctor. Sue even respects him in that regard, and I should have considered that before chewing you out on the phone. It's just hard to reconcile a Cold One being on our lands." He took a sip of his coffee and smirked at his old friend who merely nodded.

Old Quil stirred some cream into his coffee and shook his head. "Skilled the Cold One may be but we have an alternative."

Harry nodded. "We do."

Charlie's expression darkened as he listened to the conversation. He didn't necessarily like the direction it was going. In his mind, Paul was only alive due to the efforts and skill of Carlisle Cullen and he didn't see a valid reason to change that any time soon. Sitting forward, he glanced between his old friends and spoke his mind. "Dr. Cullen is the reason Paul is still alive. I can't say I'm willing to change doctors just because you all can't get over your prejudice. You can bring in another doctor if you like, but if Lisa, Bella and I decide to keep Cullen as his doctor, we will, even if I have to have him moved back to my old house in Forks."

Old Quil scowled. "He needs to be kept with his people. Lisa will understand this."

"He needs to be kept alive! Dr. Cullen is making that happen!" Charlie snapped.

"Charlie," Billy cut in, his voice low. "Paul is a part of us…there are…certain magics involved here that are difficult to explain, but if you take him from these lands while his spirit wanders…I fear for his life."

Charlie sagged and rubbed his face with both hands as he muttered, "Magics…jesus…" With a resigned sigh, he looked at his oldest friends. "All right, I'm willing to listen. What's this alternative you say you have?

"Sue's younger brother, Lucas. He's a doctor at Stanford. I believe he's certified in internal medicine, but I'll have to check with Sue on that," Harry answered.

"How young?" Charlie asked with a doubting look at Harry.

"He just turned thirty."

"He's at Stanford," Charlie muttered. "What makes you think he'd be willing to come back here?"

Harry drew himself up. "This is his home—where his people are. He will heed our call."

Billy smirked as he toyed with his coffee cup. "It helps that it was the tribe that paid for the bulk of his education."

Harry nodded. "There's that too."

Charlie nodded. "Well, I'm sure despite anything I say, you all are gonna do what you want. All I ask is that you not cut Dr. Cullen completely out of the loop. It sounds like he's trying things that aren't quite standard…" He snorted and muttered, "What am I saying? Nothing about this is standard…"

Harry nodded slowly. "I see your point, but I'm sure Lucas will be willing to consult with Cullen."

Charlie raised a brow. "Really? Like you all are willing?"

Harry shook his head. "I'm trying here Charlie."

Just then, Lisa walked back in and slumped into Charlie's lap, resting her head on Charlie's shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her and murmured, "How is he?"

She grabbed a napkin and dried her puffy eyes. "He's so still Charlie and the machines…" She sniffled and wiped her nose. "He's developing a fever too. Carlisle said that his temp until now had been staying at the level of a normal human, but now it's spiking and he doesn't think it's due to the wolf thing. He thinks it's a reaction to the venom, but he said he expected it."

A tired looking Sue walked in and took a seat next to her husband who grabbed a clean cup and poured her a cup of coffee. "Thanks," she said while adding some cream. She stirred it in and eyed the newcomers. "I'm surprised to see you here."

Billy smirked. "He heard there was a Cold One here and charged over to save the day…after chewing my ass on the phone first."

She shook her head, looking weary. "Harry…"

He held up a hand. "I know, and I've already apologized. I realize there's enough going on without me stirring trouble."

"Exactly," she grumbled. "But I'm glad to hear you've come to your senses."

Old Quil frowned. "There's still much to discuss. We may understand why he's here, but it doesn't mean we're happy about it. As a matter of fact, we were just talking about your brother, Sue. Do you think he would come and take over our young shifter's care if you called him?"

Lisa's head snapped up. "What do you mean? Dr. Cullen is doing an excellent job. My son's alive because of him and I won't let anyone screw with that!" She hopped up from Charlie's lap and pointed at them with a glare. "You'll have to go through me first, I swear to god, because this is my son's life we're talking about. I'll protect him until my dying day and I don't care who I have to fuck up to do it!"

The three elders at the table stared, brows raised as Charlie smirked behind the rim of his coffee cup.

"Calm down Lisa," Sue said with a sigh and a glare toward Old Quil. "Even if my brother comes here, I won't let them kick Dr. Cullen out. He's too good and Paul's condition is too critical. To put it bluntly, if that was Leah or Seth on that bed I would want Dr. Cullen treating them," she finished, looking her husband in the eye.

Lisa relaxed marginally and Charlie pulled her back to his lap and hugged her as Sue continued. "Still, this is a great opportunity for Lucas to learn, especially if Dr. Cullen would be willing to teach him. I know he'd always planned to come back here so the experience will be invaluable."

"So, you'll call him?" Harry asked and she nodded.

"Yeah, just as soon as I finish my coffee."

Emily started clearing the table to get set for dinner and she smiled apologetically. "Sorry, don't mean to interrupt. You're all welcomed to eat. We have plenty," she said as she set out stacks of plates and silverware. "It's buffet style though so help yourselves and you might wanna do that before the pack makes it in here."

They all got up and served themselves just as the pack drifted in. Leah grabbed three plates and filled them; one for herself and one each for Rudy and Bella, which she placed in the warm oven.

Sam sat at the table and eyed the elders for a moment. "So, you got the doctor thing all worked out?" he asked as he began eating.

Sue nodded. "I think we've all agreed, Dr. Cullen stays and teaches Lucas all he can until Paul…recovers."

Everyone noticed her hesitation when she spoke of recovery, but no one mentioned it. Still it hung heavy in the air and everyone finished their dinner in silence.

"Anyone gonna wake Bella?" Sam asked. "She needs to eat before we leave for the bonfire."

Leah finished off her last bite and pushed back from the table. "Rudy's with her, so I'll do it."

Jacob glanced at Angela who was picking at her food. "You gonna be all right here tonight? I have to leave in just a few to set up the bonfire."

She smiled. "Yeah, I'll be fine. Emily and Kim have been really great to me."

"Good, I'm glad," he answered with a small smile and then he leaned in and quickly kissed her cheek as her eyes widened.

"I'll see ya later." With that, he got up and motioned for Quil and Embry to follow.

Angela got up and began helping Emily and Kim with the clean up just as Bella walked in with Leah and Rudy. "Sit you two," Leah said as she went and got their plates from the oven. She set them down in front of them with a grin. "I saved ya some. Be sure to tip on your way out."

Rudy grabbed her and she laughed as he pulled her into his lap and kissed her soundly.

"That's my daughter you're mauling, young man," Harry grumbled and Rudy froze and set Leah back on her feet.

"Sorry sir," he mumbled as Leah rolled her eyes.

"I'm all grown up Dad, in case you haven't noticed. I can take care of myself."

"I know you can, but cut your old man some slack, huh? Keep that kinda stuff private."

Bella smiled wanly and ducked her head as she moved food around on her plate.

"Hey, you need to eat," Rudy said between bites. "Gotta take care of the little one…"

A loud choking noise from Charlie Swan had Rudy's eyes going wide as Bella glared at him. "Sorry B," he muttered before stuffing another bite in his mouth.

"What?!" Charlie finally choked out while staring at his daughter. Lisa wasn't much better, but her expression was joyful, her eyes misting in tears as she repeated, "Little one?"

Bella sighed and set her fork down. "Yes," she said as she met her father's eyes. "Dad, Lisa you're gonna be grandparents. I'm sorry I haven't told you until now, but I hadn't even managed to tell Paul yet, so…"

"Oh Bella!" Lisa said as she got up and hugged her before sitting back down to grab Charlie's hand. "I know you're young, but what a gift! A baby!" Tears traced down her cheeks as she looked at her husband. "My baby's gonna be a daddy…we'll always have a part of him, no matter what…" She hid her face in Charlie's neck as she cried and he wrapped her in his arms and kissed her hair before staring at Bella again.

"Nothing to say, Dad?" Bella muttered and he took a deep breath and let it out before shaking his head. "Give me a minute to process? I mean, I'm not gonna yell and scream, but let me get over the shock."

Bella nodded. "Fair enough."

"Until then, eat your dinner. It's good for the, uh, baby," he grumbled before calling out, "Sam, ya got any beer?"

A second later, Sam set a cold brew in front of him and he nodded his thanks as Billy smirked at him. "Looks like you're in the same boat as me, old dog."

He shot him a sidelong glance as he took a healthy pull from his beer, pointing at his friend with the bottle as he groused, "Shut it."

He looked at Bella who was now eating. "So, you're going to the bonfire?"

She nodded and he frowned. "It's colder than a well digger's ass out there. You think it's a good idea? I mean, what with…you know…"

She raised a brow. "I'll bundle up and take blankets Dad. _We'll_ be fine."

He cleared his throat and took another long pull from the bottle. "I guess it's okay then."

Lisa dried her eyes and sent her a secret smile before kissing Charlie's cheek. "You're gonna be such a great grandpa."

He blushed and grumbled something with the word grandpa in it and Bella ducked her head to hide a smile as she finished her dinner.

They all left the house not long after and true to her word, Bella was bundled in warm clothes and a blanket so when they got to the trail that led to the beach, Rudy didn't even think twice before hefting her into his arms as Leah walked beside them. "Rudy, I can still walk, ya know?" she complained and Leah scoffed.

"We wanna get there sometime tonight, Bella."

"Fair point," Bella muttered before resting her head on Rudy's shoulder and settling in for the ride.

Just over the last rise, she began to make out the multi-colored glow from the fire. It was beautiful, the flames dancing high in the crisp winter air as a light snow continued to fall.

The guys had cleared all the logs they used for seating and it was on one of these that Rudy placed her. "You good?" he asked and she nodded and gave him a thumbs up before tucking her hand back in the thick blanket.

Once they were all circled around the fire, Sam stood and they fell silent. "We all know why we're here, so let's get started." With that, he began a beautiful chant in their native tongue and the others joined in after a moment, rising to their feet and moving around the circle until, as Bella watched, it became a dance.

It was breathtaking to watch and she became mesmerized by the jumping flames and the movements of their bodies as their chant turned into a song.

She looked up into the night sky, its starlit blackness broken here and there by dark grey clouds, still dropping crystalline flakes of snow that now mixed with swirling embers from the fire. It was beautiful and all she could think of at that moment was her wish to be with Paul…to _feel_ him, not only in body but in spirit, and a tear rolled down her cheek.

"Paul," she whispered as the pack sang their solemn song and danced around the fire. From somewhere, she began to hear a drum and she swore it was keeping time with her heart as she closed her eyes and slowly succumbed to a black void.

With alarm, her eyes snapped open and she peered around fruitlessly. There was nothing, no stars, no clouds, no light. "Where am I?!" she cried, heart racing as her hands reached out to feel around where she sat.

The sound of a fond chuckle made her gasp and her head whipped in that direction as a voice, masculine, smooth and deep and calm, spoke. "Do not be afraid, daughter."

"Who…" she began but in the next instant, her voice caught as the void vanished and in its place was the clearing where she always met the old woman and the wolves.

"Is that better, daughter?"

Again, she frantically searched for the origin of the voice, but there seemed to be no one there. "Who are you? And why can't I see you?"

"You cannot see me, because I have not yet revealed myself to you, and as far as where you are? You are on the spirit plane."

"Spirit plane…" she muttered before looking around the clearing once again. "Please, may I see you?"

In that moment, a man, obviously Quileute, slowly broke through the trees and entered the clearing. He was…majestic looking—tall, powerfully built and wearing nothing but a breechclout made of deerskin and some ceremonial armbands and jewelry. His hair was long and draped over his shoulders and it shined like black satin under lights but his eyes—his eyes were what caught Bella's attention the most and her eyes misted in tears as she stared. His eyes were a distinctive hazel/amber that made her heart ache with sorrow and longing as he gave her a gentle smile.

"You miss my spirit son," he said as he approached and took her hands, drawing her to her feet.

"I do," she said, her voice trembling with emotion. "Desperately."

"This is good, for you will be the one to find him when it is his time to be found."

Her eyes widened as she tipped her head back to stare into his face. "How? And how will I know when it's time?"

He caressed her cheek while staring into her eyes. "You will spirit walk, daughter, just as you are now and you will know when it's time because you will feel him again," he carefully placed his hand in the center of her sternum, "here. His soul will call yours and only then may you answer."

He dropped his hand and turned away to walk into the woods. "Wait!" Bella called and he stopped and turned to her with a patient look. "Why can't I just find him now? I—I miss him. I _need_ him."

His expression softened with sadness and he slowly shook his head. "He is not ready, daughter." He turned back to her and wiped a tear from her cheek. "He has much to learn about himself and he will do that here. In many ways, you are stronger than my son. That is why I chose you for him. Where he is weak, you are strong and where you are weak, he is strong, do you understand?" She nodded and he smiled again. "Good. Now, I must go and so must you. Your brothers fear for you, and they cry out to me."

He turned to go and she called out again, "Wait!"

With a raised brow and a wry smile, he turned to her again, "Daughter?"

She felt her face heat in a blush as she stepped forward and hugged him. After a second, his strong arms wrapped her and she soaked up the comfort, feeling in her heart that this was her spirit father. "Who…who are you?" she mumbled against him and closed her eyes as the soothing sound of his voice rumbled against her ear as he answered, "I am Taha Aki." With a kiss to the top of her head, he vanished and her eyes popped open to the sight of the entire pack, their faces frantic with worry as they stared down at her.

**Your thoughts?**

**'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	34. Chapter 34

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and any original characters therein. No copyright infringement intended.

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_Previously:_

_She felt her face heat in a blush as she stepped forward and hugged him. After a second, his strong arms wrapped her and she soaked up the comfort, feeling in her heart that this was her spirit father. "Who…who are you?" she mumbled against him and closed her eyes as the soothing sound of his voice rumbled against her ear as he answered, "I am Taha Aki." With a kiss to the top of her head, he vanished and her eyes popped open to the sight of the entire pack, their faces frantic with worry as they stared down at her._

_._

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**Chapter 34**

"Bella? Bella?!" Ignoring all the concerned faces looking down at her, she turned toward the frantic voice and blinked.

"D?" she croaked. She watched as he fell to his knees and scooped her up, his face burying itself in her jumbled hair as he muttered.

"Jesus, fuck, don't ever scare me like that again."

"Was I out that long?" she asked, now sweeping the pack with her gaze.

Sam nodded. "About an hour, Bella. We sent Leah to get the doctor a while ago."

Rudy's arms tightened around her. "You wouldn't wake up or respond at all, B." He drew back to see her. "What the fuck happened?"

She didn't get a chance to answer as Carlisle got there, his hair looking wind-swept as he knelt beside her, setting his bag to the side. "Carlisle," she greeted and he smiled.

"Was this another panic attack, Bella?" he asked as he shined a pen light, first in one eye and then the other.

"No," she said as she blinked her watering eyes. "It wasn't and I really don't think there's anything wrong with me. I mean, I feel fine…"

Carlisle nodded. "Well, just from your heart rate, your breath sounds, the normal temp of your skin and the equal, normal reaction of your eyes, I would agree. Of course a blood test will tell me more, and I'll be drawing some when we get you back to the house, but you seem fine," he commented while his fingers ran over her skull and down her neck, feeling for any injuries or swelling.

He smiled at her. "Let's get you up and back to the house, all right?"

She nodded and gasped as Rudy scooped her up without warning. "Don't say a word, B," he grumbled.

She looked over at Leah who shook her head. "You scared the hell outta him, Bella. Just go with it."

She sighed and relaxed against him, her head resting on his shoulder as the group made their way back to Sam's house where Rudy took her in through the front door.

As soon as he walked in the door, Charlie and Lisa were right there. "What the hell happened, Bells?" her dad demanded as Rudy sighed and set her on the couch. Everyone took seats around the room, even the elders who had stuck around for whatever reason.

She shot Carlisle a pleading look and he chuckled as he set things up to draw her blood. "She seems fine to me, Charlie," he commented as he worked.

Bella hissed as the needle pierced her skin. "Sorry, sweetheart," Carlisle murmured.

She looked at Charlie and the rest of the people gathered there and ran a hand through her hair. "Okay, I guess it won't hurt anything to share what happened with everyone here. At least I won't have to repeat the story over and over since you're all here."

Rudy and Leah settled next to her and she glanced around nervously as everyone focused on her. "When you guys started your chant, after a few minutes, I—well, I'm not sure what you'd call it—but I sort of went into some kind of trance, I guess?" She looked up from her clasped hands and everyone was still watching.

"Go ahead Bella," Sam said, his tone solemn.

She nodded. "Well, everything went black, but I wasn't asleep. I was completely aware in this darkness and it didn't feel like a dream either. It felt completely real but it freaked me out because I couldn't see a thing. So, I called out and a voice—a man's voice—answered me. He…seemed to sense that I was afraid, because the darkness changed into the clearing in the woods where I seem to always meet the old woman and the white wolves."

"Old woman and white wolves?" Billy asked and she nodded.

"Yeah, the old woman who gave me the bracelet. She's met with me here," she absently gestured toward the direction of Paul's house. "Sorry, I guess I forgot to share that with you guys, but Paul knew."

Sam frowned and gave her a nod. "It's all right, Bella. Keep going with your story."

"Well, once my surroundings changed, I asked the man to show himself and he did. He entered the clearing and it was obvious he was Quileute. He was tall and muscled, dressed only in a loincloth, or whatever you call it and he had long hair. His most striking feature—at least to me—was his eyes." She glanced at Lisa. "His eyes were just like Paul's."

Lisa wiped away a tear and nodded.

"So anyway," Bella continued, "I got a little emotional when I saw his eyes and he said to me that I miss his spirit son."

Billy gasped but otherwise stayed quiet so she continued. "I told him I do and he told me that's good, because I will be the one to find him when it's his time to be found."

"Find him?" Sam asked and she nodded.

"Spirit walker…" Billy muttered, his eyes wide when she nodded at him.

"Yes, that's what he told me. He said that Paul's soul would call to me when he's ready and that I would Spirit Walk to find him, just as I had earlier tonight. I asked him why I couldn't just find him while I was there and he said it wasn't time yet—that Paul wasn't ready. That he has much to learn before it's time."

"Bella," Billy said, his tone colored with awe and respect. "There haven't been Spirit Walkers since the time of Taha Aki, and even then, none of them were female. That you were chosen is a great honor."

She swiped at a stray tear on her cheek. "No disrespect meant Billy, but I just want to get Paul back. I don't really care how I do it."

Rudy put an arm around her and hugged her to his side. "Was there any more, B?" he asked and she nodded against his shoulder.

"Um, well, he called me daughter," she said with slight shrug and a glance at Charlie. "And he said that it was time for me to go back because my brothers were worried for me and that they were calling out to him. I, uh, gave him a hug and asked him who he is." She glanced up and around at everyone and Billy gave a nod.

"And?"

She squeezed Rudy's hand. "He said his name is Taha Aki."

There was a collective gasp between the elders present and she worried her bottom lip with her teeth as she looked at them. "You guys don't believe me, do you?"

"It's not that at all, Bella," Billy said as he ran a hand over his face. "It's just…such a thing is a supreme honor, and a significant event to our people…" He pinned her with a look that was a mixture of pride, awe and respect. "You've spoken with our Spirit Father, Bella… You've spirit walked with him…"

Charlie made a sound in the back of his throat. It wasn't quite a scoff, but it was close. "She passed out, Billy. I love my daughter, and I would never call her a liar, but couldn't you be blowing this all out of proportion? Couldn't this all have been just a dream, brought on by stress, exhaustion and seeing the guys do their," he rolled a hand in the air, "thing around the bonfire?"

Billy eyed her for a moment. "Did he wear any sort of jewelry, Bella? Can you describe any of it?"

"Arm bands… He had silver arm bands around his biceps. One side had a crow and the other was a wolf."

The look Billy shot Charlie was smug. "We have drawings of his arm bands Charlie. I'd be happy to show you…"

Charlie held up a hand and flopped back in his seat. "No need. Don't know what I was thinkin' anyway," he grumbled. "I'm in a room full of overgrown boys who turn into wolves to fight vampires, for christ's sake…

"So she took a walk on another plane of existence and met up with your old Chief…what's that in the face of all the rest of it?" He looked a bit dazed when he'd finished muttering and Billy smirked.

"Lisa, maybe you should take Charlie home and tuck him in for the night. I think he's done for the day."

Charlie shot his oldest friend a glare but Lisa nodded and tugged him up. "I think we will go home." She glanced at Dr. Cullen who'd been leaning in the doorway to the room Paul was in. "You'll be sure to call if there's any change at all?"

He nodded. "I will."

"Good or bad?" she persisted and again, he nodded.

"You have my word."

"You coming home with us, Bells?" Charlie asked while shrugging into his coat and Bella shook her head.

"I wanna stay here Dad," she said before looking at Sam and Emily. "That is, if it's okay with you guys. I'd really like to stay close to Paul."

Emily gave her a wan smile. "Our home is yours, for as long as you need it."

Bella stood up and hugged her dad and Lisa. "I'll see you guys tomorrow?"

"I have to work the day shift tomorrow," Charlie said, "but yeah, we'll be here after that."

Bella nodded and watched them leave as Rudy came up and gave her a hug. "We're gonna take off too, B, but we'll be back. If anything changes or you need us, call. Doesn't matter what time, okay?"

"Okay, D," she said while hugging him tightly. "Love you," she murmured and he tightened his arms around her.

"Love you too, sis. Take care of my little bro for me."

She pulled back and nodded. "You know I will."

He cupped her cheek and stared into her eyes. "Get some sleep."

"I will."

"I mean it, B. Don't make me sic the Doc on you."

She rolled her eyes. "I will sleep, okay?"

"All right," he said as Leah started dragging him to the door. "But I'm gonna check with the Doc tomorrow to make sure you did!" he yelled the rest over his shoulder as Leah dragged him off the front porch. Sam closed the front door and cocked a brow at her.

"I agree with him, Bella. You need rest."

"And I'll get it, after I spend some time with Paul, I swear," she said as she slipped into Paul's room and closed the door. She stood there, leaning against the door with her eyes closed until she heard Carlisle chuckle.

"Not used to having over-protective brothers, Bella?"

She shot him a sardonic smile and shook her head. "Only child here. It's a bit tough to get used to. I mean, Rudy I can understand, but now the rest of them?" she groused as she took the chair next to Paul's bed.

Her eyes skimmed his body and stopped at the removable cast on his arm. Carlisle noticed and explained before she could even ask. "It was a bad break, but relatively clean. I set it, but had to cast it since his accelerated healing isn't functioning due to the venom poisoning."

She gestured toward the dialysis machine. "How's that going, by the way?"

"According to the latest blood tests, very well. I'm pleased with the results, however, I'm remaining cautious. Because of that, I'll be keeping him on a schedule for the next few days. If the tests remain as they have been, then we can look at discontinuing the dialysis altogether."

She stood and kissed Paul's temple while smoothing his hair back from his brow. "He's still running a fever?"

Carlisle nodded. "Yes, but it's not unexpected. The break in his arm was a compound fracture so possible infection could be a contributing factor. I have him on IV antibiotics just to be on the safe side and his temp, while still not normal, has been steadily declining."

She nodded thoughtfully while resuming her seat and taking his hand. She placed a kiss on the back of it before asking her next question. "How will you know the difference between his wolf temperature and human temperature? I mean, what if you're treating him for a fever and it's really just his shifter metabolism kicking back in?"

He nodded. "Your question is a valid one," he said as he took a seat in the only other chair in the room. "I've been keeping a close eye on his healing. When I see any signs of accelerated healing, I'll be fairly confident that any rise in temperature at that point, is due to his shifter metabolism as I would expect the two to go hand in hand."

She stared at Paul for a while and Carlisle rose from his seat. "I'll give you some time alone with him Bella, but then you need to sleep. You'll be no good to him if you fall ill."

She sighed and smiled at him. "Yes Doctor."

He chuckled and slipped out of the room and she focused back on Paul, her fingers tracing over his brow and temple. "I miss you," she said, throat tightening with unshed tears. "I miss you so much and I need you. When will you call me, I wonder? When will I be able to find you?" Some tears rolled down her cheeks and she quickly wiped them away. "Don't take too long, okay?" she whispered while laying her hand on his chest over his steadily beating heart. "Call to me, Paul. Please, call to me?" As she watched, the jeweled eyes of the wolf on the bracelet flashed bright amber and her breath caught as she smiled. Somehow, she knew he'd heard her and the knowledge of that gave her hope as she laid her head next to him on the bed and promptly fell asleep.

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* * *

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Waves rolled in, the white of their foam breaking gently over the pebbles and sand on which a solitary figure sat, cross-legged and staring out at the rushing expanse of ocean and the metallic grey clouds that crowned it.

He breathed deeply, his lungs taking in the salty, sea-tinged air even as his brow creased at the seeming wrongness of it all.

This was all too familiar to him. He knew that. But at the same time, there was something off about it all; something he couldn't quite get in his grasp and he ran a hand through his inky black hair, tugging the soft strands for a beat in frustration.

While sea gulls circled, shrieking out their distinctive song as they dipped and dived over the tide pools in the distance, his eyes skimmed over everything again, trying desperately to pin-point just what it was that was bothering him.

Shouldn't he be somewhere right now? With someone?

Something was missing, damn it…

Something vital…

And it left him feeling…bereft.

With all the grace of a jungle cat, he rose to his feet and began walking along the beach, lithe, ropey muscles flexing under tawny skin as he rolled his shoulders in a bid to rid himself of this unease.

What (who?) was he missing? And why couldn't he remember?

_"I miss you so much and I need you. When will you call me, I wonder? When will I be able to find you?"_

He drew up short, his brows drawn together in a frown as a woman's voice echoed through his mind, the sad tone weighing heavily on his heart as he rubbed at the phantom pain in his chest.

_"Call to me, Paul… Please, call to me?"_

The pain in his chest intensified and he sank to his knees. "Bella!" he choked out in sudden remembrance.

Frantically, he got to his feet and looked around once again, not seeing a soul. "Bella," he muttered again and was just ready to take off running when the sound of another voice stopped him in his tracks.

"You will not find her here, my son. Not yet."

He growled in anger, whirling around to find the source of this latest voice. "Who are you and how do you know?" he demanded of the obvious void around him.

"I know, because I am the one who will allow her here when it's time."

Paul whirled around, his eyes going wide at the sight of the being who had seemingly appeared from nowhere. With instant recognition and reverence, his sank to his knees, his head bowed as he addressed him, "Spirit Father."

Taha Aki chuckled as he placed a hand on Paul's bowed head. "Come, my son. Sit with me a while. There is much to speak of."

He began walking and Paul quickly rose to his feet and followed. He led him along a winding trail from the beach and into a forest clearing where he entered a small plank house. It was warm and dry with a fire pit in the center next to which were thick bear furs. It was onto one of the furs that he gracefully lowered himself before pinning Paul with his startlingly similar gaze. "Sit," he said simply and Paul hurried to comply.

"Spirit Father," Paul began hesitantly while staring into that penetrating gaze. "Where am I? Am I…dead?"

"No, my son. You are not dead. The Cold One of the treaty saved you from the poison of the bite but while your body heals, your spirit wanders here, on the spirit plane."

"Why?"

"Why are you here?"

Paul nodded.

"Because there is something for you to learn; a terrible mistake to be avoided."

Paul frowned. "What mistake?"

Taha Aki smiled and held out a hand toward the door. "Come little one," he called and a tiny girl, no more than four years old, if Paul had to guess, entered the house, running quickly to his spirit father, who scooped her into his lap.

"Does the child look familiar to you, my son?"

Paul studied the little girl for a while, realizing she did look familiar. His breath caught when he realized just how familiar—she had his eyes but the rest of her was a perfect blend between himself and Bella. "Is she…"

Taha Aki nodded slowly, never taking his eyes from his son. "She is your daughter, or _may_ be _if_ you make the right choice in your heart." He stood the little girl up and sent her on her way and Paul watched as she disappeared through the door.

With a frown creasing his brow, Paul murmured, "My mate's already pregnant. I don't see where I have much choice in the matter."

His Spirit Father's expression darkened. "You do have a choice, whether you realize it or not. If your heart continues to reject the child, her spirit will not join her body. Your mate will miscarry or the child will be stillborn."

"I'm not rejecting the child!" Paul denied fiercely. "I just… Don't make this all about me!" He looked away from that steady, knowing gaze. "Besides, I'm just not meant to be a father," he murmured. "I don't have what it takes."

"If you were not meant to be a father, the Spirits would not have blessed you with children."

Paul sneered. "Yeah? The Spirits blessed Jimmy Lahote and look how that turned out!"

"I know my son," Taha Aki said sadly. "I also know his spirit ultimately rejected being a father."

Paul's breath caught and his jaw clenched. "Don't you dare compare me to that piece of shit," he ground out before rising to his feet and pacing to the door.

"You compare yourself to him, do you not?"

Those words froze Paul in his tracks.

Hearing such a thing was like a punch to the gut and it nearly brought him to his knees as he grabbed the door frame and breathed through the pain of the truth of it. "I guess I do," he finally agreed without turning.

He flinched when he felt a warm hand settle on his shoulder. "He may have been your father in blood, my son, but he is not the father you hold in your heart. He is not the father who helped you become the man you are today."

A tear rolled down Paul's cheek as he thought of Charlie Swan and all he'd done for him—how he'd loved him for no other reason than he'd wanted to… His voice choked with emotion as he confessed the truth of it, "No…no, he is not."

The hand on his shoulder squeezed gently. "You have a decision to make, my son. Just know that this decision will have far-reaching consequences, not only for you but for our people. I'll leave you to it." With that, the comforting hand on his shoulder disappeared along with the stalwart presence and after moments, Paul turned, walked back to the fire, and resumed his seat.

As he sat, he lost himself in thought as he stared into the crackling flames, memories from his childhood playing through his mind like flashes of bad nightmares; the screaming, the cruel words and even crueler hand of his father—countless bruises and broken bones both he and his mother had endured until…

His eyes clenched shut and he rocked and groaned, head held in his hands, in a bid to rid himself of the vivid memories of that night, but they continued to play behind his eyes in a slow-motion reel of horror that only ended with the fatal plunge of a knife from his own hand…

He gasped as his eyes snapped open and he wiped at the tears that wet his cheeks.

Could he be a decent father despite all of that? Did he have it in him? Would he live up to Bella's expectations? Or would his genetics and early childhood serve to ruin all their lives?

Such was his greatest fear…

He startled when the little girl's voice broke through his thoughts. "Are you okay?"

Looking away, he hastily dried the last of his tears before answering. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Her head tilted. "Well…will you be my daddy?" she asked directly, as only a small child can.

Turning his head fully toward her, he studied the tiny girl as she waited patiently for an answer. She was probably the most beautiful little girl he'd ever seen, but then that shouldn't surprise him since she looked remarkably like Bella…

Reaching out, he gingerly picked her up and brought her tiny form close to his chest as he took in her sweet baby scent. "Do you want me to be?" he murmured uncertainly as she settled in and snuggled against him.

She nodded as he smoothed his hand through her curls and he closed his eyes and rested his cheek on the crown of her head. "Uh huh, 'cause I already love you and mommy too."

Something took hold of his heart then and the feeling was so strong, it nearly took his breath away as he hugged her just a little bit tighter. "Then I'll try my best, baby girl…I promise to try my best."

She smiled then, and he smiled back and kissed her brow as she stared up at him. "I can't wait to introduce you to your grandpa," he said wistfully. "He's a great man, baby girl, one of the greatest, and you're gonna love him."

She laid her head against his chest. "Will you tell me about him, Daddy?"

He smiled and stared into the fire. "Well, his name's Charlie Swan and he loves to fish…"

**This chapter kicked my ass.**

**Not sure I nailed the feels like I wanted to,**

**but, I tried. **

**Your thoughts?**

**'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	35. Chapter 35

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and any original characters therein. No copyright infringement intended.

A/N: Back again. Hope it's enjoyable. As always, my heartfelt thanks to those of you who take the time to review. You truly keep me going. Also, as with all of my stuff, there is no beta or pre-readers so all mistakes are mine. Light and love, ~Spudz

P.S. There's a lemon down the page. Adult material. Not for minors. ;-)

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**Chapter 35**

Jacob threw off his thin blanket and sat up, one hand rubbing through his hair as he stifled a jaw-cracking yawn. "Shit," he muttered while rolling his shoulders and arching his back to rid himself of muscle kinks from sleeping on the sofa. With a tired sigh and a few blinks to clear up his vision, he grabbed his phone and read through his messages. With that done, he tossed the phone aside and yawned again.

Rising to his feet, he made his way through the silent house to the bathroom, intent on getting a hot shower before everyone else in the house woke up. Especially his dear sister, he thought with a sneer.

It still pissed him off that she was here and he couldn't believe his dad went against him and let her stay. So she was knocked up and abandoned. So what? In Jake's opinion, she was only getting what was coming to her for abandoning her family the minute she graduated high school and never once giving them another thought.

Peeling off his shorts, he stepped under the hot spray and began to soap up, his thoughts turning to his imprint who was, at this moment, asleep in his bed.

With all the people and excitement at Sam's house, he'd finally convinced her to come and stay with him, although it hadn't been easy. They hardly knew each other, after all, but they were getting there. At least now, he could safely say they had the beginnings of a friendship after all the non-stop talking they'd done the day before. He snorted as he stepped under the spray and rinsed.

There was still a part of him that resented being tied to the one girl in this town who had fallen for a cold one. A muscle in his jaw twitched as he lathered his hair. As if morphing into a giant wolf wasn't fucked up enough… Yeah, he was pretty sure the Spirits had it in for him, personally.

With a resigned sigh, he rinsed, turned off the water and wrapped his hips with a towel before leaning against the sink to stare into the mirror. "Get your shit together Black," he muttered before finishing up and getting dressed.

By the time he stepped out of the bathroom, he could smell fresh coffee coming from the kitchen and one sniff of the air told him his father would be sitting at his customary place at the table, probably already reading the paper.

Sure enough, when he walked in, Billy was sitting there, sipping a cup of coffee with one hand while turning pages with the other. "Morning son," he greeted before glancing up as Jake crossed to the fridge. "You get any sleep?"

"Some," Jake muttered while pulling out stuff for breakfast. "Scrambled eggs okay?" he asked while setting out a mixing bowl and pre-heating a pan on the stove.

"You don't have to do that. You know your sister likes to make breakfast. She should be up soon."

Jake's jaw tightened. "I have shit to do dad so forgive me if I don't wanna wait around for Rachel to decide to get off her ass," he grumbled while continuing on with cooking.

"Jake," Billy said, his tone low with warning.

"Don't start," Jake said, his back and shoulders stiff with tension as he stirred the eggs on the stove one last time before adding some shredded cheese and flipping the lever down on the toaster.

Just then, Angela walked in, giving Billy a shy smile before heading over to butter the toast. "Morning Jake," she greeted while pushing some damp hair behind her ear.

He leaned down and kissed her cheek. "Morning Ang. Did you sleep okay?"

She plated the toast and cut the stack in half while nodding. "Yeah, I did. I still think I should've stayed on the couch. It can't be very comfortable for you…"

He smiled at her and set the food on the table before reaching for plates and coffee mugs in the cupboard. "No worries. I told you, I crash there all the time. It's no big deal, really."

Billy chuckled. "He does, Angela. Gets to where I don't recognize the couch without Jake draped over it."

"Ha, ha old man," Jake quipped while piling his plate with food and pouring coffee for Angela and then himself.

Angela smiled and served Billy and then herself just as Rachel waddled in, one hand in the middle of her back absently rubbing as she grabbed a plate from the cupboard and sat down at the table. "Morning Dad, Jake, Angela," she muttered while loading her plate.

"Rachel," Billy greeted with a smile before sipping his coffee.

"Would you like some milk or juice?" Angela asked Rachel while starting to rise from her seat. Jake stopped her with a hand on her arm and a sharp look.

"If she does, she can get it herself. She's knocked up, not disabled."

Angela blushed while easing back into her seat. "I'm sorry…I was just…"

Jake sighed, feeling like an ass for embarrassing his imprint. "I know. You were trying to be nice, but she needs to take care of herself…_and_ her kid when it gets here," he finished in a growl while shooting his sister a glare.

Rachel scowled and dropped her fork. "Why are you so hateful? I don't even recognize you anymore!"

Jake swallowed his last bite and wiped his lips with a napkin before pinning his sister with narrowed eyes. "You really wanna get into this right now?"

"Yeah!" she challenged. "Yeah, I do!"

"All right," he said with a nod as he leaned back in his seat and crossed his massive arms. "You're nothing but a selfish bitch who abandoned us the minute you were able and couldn't be bothered to return any phone calls or letters since the day you left. Not one, Rachel! And now? All of the sudden, when you're knocked up and the fucker who did it dumps you—now, suddenly we're good enough?! I don't think so."

She gaped at him. "How dare you?!"

He chuckled darkly. "Face it Rachel…you're nothing but a user and Dad may be okay with that, but I never will be." He leaned forward looking straight into her scowling face and teary eyes. "I see you for what you are and I'm not gonna let you leech off of us so here's what's gonna happen. Just as soon as I make time, I'm gonna take you down and get you signed up for public assistance. Then, you're gonna find a place of your own. What you do from there is up to you. Sink or swim dear sister," he sneered. "I couldn't give a shit less."

"Jacob," Billy growled, but Jake held up a hand.

"No Dad. She needs to learn to stand on her own and own up to her fuck ups. I love you Dad and I'll never abandon you, but if you fight me on this, it'll be me leaving this house. I swear it."

Rachel swiped at the tears on her cheeks. "You're a fucking bastard Jacob Black."

He shrugged, got up and started cleaning up from breakfast with Angela's quiet help.

Rachel sniffled and looked at her saddened father. "I'll do as he says, Dad," she choked out, her voice tight with tears. "I don't wanna stay where I'm not wanted," Jake snorted and she ignored him, "and I don't see that I have much of a choice." She got up and hurried from the room and Billy shook his head.

"Was that really necessary, son?"

"Yeah, I think it was Dad, otherwise I would have kept my mouth shut," Jake said as he handed over the last plate for Angela to rinse before turning to lean against the counter.

"You could've put things more gently, son."

"Subtlety's overrated, especially with her. Believe me, I've tried. It just allows her to be comfortable enough to ignore it."

"She's my daughter…"

Jake nodded. "Yeah Dad, I get that but that doesn't give her a license to use you for all your worth, especially when she's probably gonna toss you aside again the first chance something better comes along."

Billy looked pained as he gazed out the window. "I was hoping the baby would change her."

Jake sighed and straightened. "You and me both, Dad, but that's a big wait-and-see, now isn't it?" He laid a hand on his father's shoulder. "I'm sorry, Dad."

Holding a hand out to Angela, Jake tugged her to his side and moved toward the door. "I have to go pick up Lucas Uley and take him over to Sam's place. Apparently, he arrived late last night and stayed at Sue's. You planning to head over there later?"

Billy nodded and finished off his coffee. "Yeah, I'll be there later today, just to keep track of what's decided."

"You need a ride?"

Billy shook his head. "Charlie said he'd pick me up after his shift. I see no reason to get there till then."

"All right, we'll see you later." With that, he and Angela left and Billy sagged in his chair, a heavy sigh gusting from his lips.

"Kids," he muttered before turning his chair and rolling from the room.

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Rudy awoke slowly, his lips stretching into a lazy smile and eyes still closed as he felt warm, open-mouthed kisses trail over his chest and down, only stopping at the edge of the sheet where it rested just below his belly button. He grinned. "You're not gonna let a sheet stop you are you baby?"

Leah scoffed and playfully nipped his hip while tugging said sheet down past his hardened cock, her voice low and throaty as she answered. "Quit talking. I haven't had my coffee yet."

She palmed and stroked his length then, drawing a lazy groan from him as he stretched out fully on his back, burying one hand in her silken hair while propping the other behind his head. "Anything Mistress," he said through a cocky grin, "just don't stop."

She snorted a laugh and mumbled against his skin, "You're such a man…"

"I know," he boasted with a subtle thrust of his hips before moaning low and deep as her hot mouth engulfed his cock.

"Fuck yessss…" he muttered as she worked. "Just like that…jesus, I love you…"

She bobbed and sucked for a while, one hand rolling and tugging his sack until he growled and pulled her up into a deep, breath-robbing kiss as he flipped their positions. "Play time's over, baby," he said as she panted beneath him, his gaze locked with hers as he positioned himself and thrust into her warm, welcoming heat.

Her arms circled his neck and she bucked up to meet his strokes while wrapping her legs around him. "Harder Rudy," she demanded. "Fuck me harder."

With a growl, he reached up and grabbed the headboard, his every thrust now jolting her body as she writhed and moaned and arched against him.

"Fuck, Rudy, baby…so good…don't you dare stop!" she ordered, her fingers leaving red trails down his muscled chest and abs before her hands trailed around to rest on his ass.

His jaw clenched, light grunts leaving him as he clutched the headboard and pounded into her, the light sheen of sweat now covering him beginning to sting where she'd scratched him. "Come for me!" he demanded when he felt her tighten around him. "Now!" he growled, slamming home over and over as hard as he dared. "Come now!"

With an inhuman scream and an arch of her back, she dug her nails into the furiously flexing muscles of his perfect ass and shattered around him just as he froze and filled her with a low, satisfied groan.

"Fuck," he breathed as he sagged against his hold on the bed and she laughed when he finally grinned down at her.

"Is the bed still in one piece?" she asked with a smile while running her hands over his chest, her fingertips tracing the already healing marks.

"I hope so," he chuckled, "or Aunt Lisa'll have my ass."

"She can't," Leah said while rolling from underneath him to lithely hop off the bed. "Because that ass is mine," she shot back over her shoulder on her way to the bathroom. "Now come on. We need to get ready. You have that big lunch thing to cater and then we have to head over to our fearless leader's to check on Paul."

His brows rose, his mouth dropping open as he stared at the door she'd disappeared behind. "Don't I even get a kiss for all that?!"

Her head poked out and she grinned. "Come and get one."

With a low growl, he hopped off the bed and stalked to the bathroom as she closed the door and laughed.

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Jake left his truck running with the heater going for Angela while he trotted up to Sue's door and knocked.

He stood back and waited, his breath coming out in white plumes as he glanced around the neatly landscaped yard that was covered with a couple inches of fresh snow.

The door finally opened to a man who greatly resembled Sam, although a few inches shorter and considerably less muscled. "Yes?"

Jake stuck his hand out and smiled. "I'm Jacob Black. I was told to give you a lift to Sam's house this morning."

The man smiled and shook his hand. "Yeah, Sue told me you'd be coming by. I'm Lucas—Lucas Uley and _you_ were a hell of a lot smaller last time I saw you," he said looking bemused as he stepped back and beckoned inside. "Come on in. I just need to grab some stuff and we can go."

Jake stepped in and closed the door while Lucas pocketed his wallet, keys and phone before donning a coat. "Ready?" Jake asked and he nodded.

"Yep, let's go," he said while grabbing what looked like a black doctor's bag.

Jake walked back to the truck and climbed behind the wheel while motioning to the back. "You can put your bag behind the seat."

"Thanks," he said while stowing the bag and climbing into the passenger side.

"Lucas Uley, this is my…uh, friend Angela. Angela, Lucas is the new Doc I told you about yesterday."

"Nice to meet you," she said while shaking his hand.

"A pleasure, Angela," he returned.

Jake glanced over after pulling out onto the road. "So, have you heard of Dr. Cullen?"

Lucas nodded. "Yes, although I've never had the chance to meet him. He's quite respected in my field."

Jake nodded. "Well, all I know is he saved Paul Lahote's ass when none of us thought he'd make it."

"Sue tells me he's still in a coma?"

"That's true," Jake conceded, "but he's alive when by all rights he shouldn't be."

"Well, I look forward to learning about his case and working with Dr. Cullen."

Jake smiled and pulled into Sam's driveway. "That's good 'cause the wait's over. We're here."

They all got out of the truck and Jake led them into the warmth of the house where they shed their coats. Angela hung them by the door as Sam stepped forward and shook his cousin's hand who had dropped his bag and was now busy gaping at him. "Lucas," he greeted with a knowing smirk.

"Little Sammy?" he breathed while looking over the massive man in front of him. "What the hell do they feed you guys here? I hardly recognize you!"

Sam beckoned toward the kitchen. "Come on in, get some coffee and have a seat. There's a lot we need to discuss before you meet Dr. Cullen and that'll be part of it."

Roughly an hour later, Bella and Carlisle looked up from the books they'd been reading to see a shell-shocked man walk into Paul's room with Sam shadowing behind him.

"Dr. Cullen, this is my cousin, Dr. Lucas Uley." He watched the two shake hands before holding out a hand to Bella. "Let's give Dr. Cullen some privacy to bring Lucas up to speed?"

She nodded, rose from her chair and kissed Paul's brow. "Be back later, baby," she murmured while pushing some hair from his brow.

She walked out and glanced at Sam as they made their way to the kitchen. "He looked half sick. What'd you do to the poor man?"

He shrugged a shoulder. "Reminded him of our legends, told him they're real and then took him out back where Jared phased in front of him." He smirked and she chuckled.

"Oh god, nothing like breaking him in gently, huh? Poor guy."

Sam scoffed as they took seats at the kitchen table next to Emily, Kim, Jake, Angela, Sue and Harry Clearwater. "You know how these scientific types can be—empirical evidence and all that. He wouldn't believe until we proved it, so we proved it."

"You're lucky he didn't piss himself," Harry grumbled before taking a gulp of coffee as some around the table nodded while the others chuckled.

"He's Quileute and a Uley," Sam muttered. "He better have balls enough not to piss himself."

Bella rolled her eyes and poured herself a cup of coffee as Sue frowned at her. "You shouldn't be drinking so much caffeine Bella. Have some juice instead."

Bella groaned. "Oh god, not you too…"

Sue picked up the cup and set it by the sink before reaching into the fridge for one of the bottles of juice she'd brought over. "Just try it. It's awesome. I drink it all the time."

"Fine," Bella sighed, twisting the cap off just as Carlisle walked in with a grim look on his face.

"Sam, you may want to come and help your cousin."

Sam frowned. "Why's that?"

Carlisle sighed. "Well, I'm not sure if it was mere exposure or the shock from seeing one of you phase that may have accelerated things—perhaps a combination of the two?—but it seems he has the shifter gene and the fever has set in."

Sam glanced over at Sue and they stared at each other for a moment. "Shit," he said as they both got up and took off for Paul's room.

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Jasper cringed, holding his head in both hands while his fingers tugged at his hair as he tried to block out the erratic emotions and screeching voice of their newest family member. "I'm sorry," Alice whispered while rubbing his back as she stood next to the arm chair he was hunched in. "Why don't we go out for a run or a hunt? Take some time away from the house?"

He nodded and stood. "Yeah, it's either that or I fuckin' put the banshee outta my misery."

That earned him a weak growl from Edward and he smirked while taking his mate's hand. "Come on darlin'."

They walked out of his office and zipped down the stairs only to be joined by Rose, Emmett and Esme at the landing. "Mind if we join you?" Rose asked while shooting a deadly glare up the stairs.

"Not at all," he said as they walked toward the front door. "I think Edward is able to handle her now that she's calmed somewhat. If not, we're all carryin' phones. He can call us."

Once they all filed out and trotted down the porch stairs, he glanced at Esme whose emotions were on the downside. "How you holdin' up Esme? Anything I can do?" he asked while sending her a subtle wave of serenity.

She sighed and gave him a soft smile. "I'm all right dear. Just missing Carlisle and worried about the conflict that's coming."

He nodded. "Understandable. I think we're all a bit worried about that."

Emmett frowned. "You mentioned calling in some help. Any luck in that department?"

"Yeah, as a matter of fact, my brother and his mate are on their way as well as Garrett, you remember him?"

"Of course. That's good to hear," he said, looking relieved. "With them and the wolves, we should be set."

Jasper smirked and raised a brow at Emmett. "I wouldn't say that, Em, but it definitely evens the odds a bit. These are the Volturi we're talkin' about here, not an untrained bunch a' newborns. We go gettin' cocky or overconfident, we'll be askin' for trouble."

Rose looked at Alice who was staying unusually quiet. "Any visions about when they might come?"

Alice frowned and shook her head. "No, they haven't decided that yet. I've only seen Jane making her report."

Esme wrung her hands and glanced at Jasper just before they made it to the trees at the back of their property. "What is it Esme?" he prompted and she stopped and faced him.

"Do you think the wolves are going to be okay with human drinkers helping us?"

He shrugged. "I'll have to meet with them, of course, but they're gonna need to understand that we don't exactly have the luxury of bein' picky right now. If they wanna survive, they'll listen and do all they can to protect their tribe. If that includes workin' with red-eyed vamps who are willin' to help, they're just gonna have to sack up—forgive my language—and go along."

They began walking again and he broached a subject he'd been kicking around for a while. He'd wanted to wait for Carlisle to be present, but it didn't look like that would be possible for a while.

"To be honest, I've been considerin' going back on human blood, at least leading up to, and for this fight."

As expected, they all stopped dead in their tracks and gaped at him. "What?!" Rose hissed and he faced her squarely, his face void of all emotion.

"You heard me Rose and I understand your concerns, but you've never experienced the sheer power that courses through ya when ya consume our natural diet. I have and there's one hell of a difference, for me especially. For one thing, my gift is ten times more powerful and I'm able to control it better on human blood.

"When I was at my peak, I could take down twenty vampires by myself with my gift alone. Now, I don't know about you, but that's an advantage worth exploiting considering who we're going up against."

She looked like she was considering it, so he nodded and began walking again. "Just think about it, Rose. I ain't askin' your permission, but I would appreciate your understandin'." He glanced at the rest of them. "That goes for all of ya."

Esme looked up from studying the forest floor. "I'm not sure how Carlisle will feel about it, but I'll speak to him. I mean, I know he won't consider it for himself, but perhaps he'll understand in your case at least."

"That's all I ask for Esme, but don't feel that I'm askin' you to approach him for me. I'm perfectly willin' to speak for myself. As a matter of fact, I would prefer doing so."

She smiled faintly. "I'll keep that in mind, Jasper."

With that, they all took off in search of prey and some moments of peace and quiet without Edward and the newborn Jessica.

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Lucas groaned and clutched his arms tightly around himself as he sat on Sam's couch while trying to take in the enormity of what the Alpha'd just told him. "Jesus, this hurts," he muttered before meeting his hulking cousin's gaze. "So what you're saying is that you think I'm in the process of…turning into what you are?"

Sam's glittering dark gaze didn't waver. "Yes."

The Quileute doctor looked at the vampire who stood across the room and a violent shiver that he just couldn't control coursed through him. "And you're sure this isn't just a bad case of the flu?" he asked through gritted teeth as sweat beaded on his forehead.

Sue reached over and bathed his face with a cool wet cloth and the vampire looked contrite as he shook his head. "You know as well as I that it isn't, doctor."

Lucas nodded, his eyes closing when the nature of what was happening in his body finally sank in bringing with it more than a little bitterness and despair. "Fuck," he muttered as another wave of the shakes seized him.

Jared looked at Sam, his eyes a little wide. "Is it just me, or is this going really fast?"

Sam looked grim. "It isn't just you."

"Perhaps you should take him back to Sue's?" Carlisle suggested with a glance at the woman in question. "It might be the close proximity."

Sam nodded. "I agree. Rudy's transition time was very similar and for the same reason."

Jared stood and grabbed his keys. "I'll start the truck. You okay with bringing him out?"

Sam sent him a flat look and he nodded and headed for the door. "Got it. I'll be waiting."

"Lucas, we're going to take you back to Sue's, but I need you to warn me if you feel you're close to losing it."

Lucas gasped in pain and began chuckling. "And just how the hell would I know that?"

Sam scooped him up as if he weighed nothing and muttered, "Believe me, you'll know," as he walked out the door with a subdued Sue following close behind.

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Bella heard the door close just as she finished up the light lunch Emily had insisted she eat. Picking up the plate, she took it to the sink, rinsed it and loaded in the dishwasher before grabbing a towel to dry her hands. "So much for having another doctor take over, eh?" she said while eyeing everyone at the table.

Harry Clearwater sighed. "I guess we should have considered the possibility. He's a Uley and still rather young. I feel bad for not thinking of the risk before we called him here."

"Well," Bella said, "what's done is done and the Spirits have their reasons," she said as she tossed the towel back on the counter. "I'm gonna go back and sit with Paul. I'll see you all a little later."

"See you Bella," Angela said with a wan smile as Bella walked out of the kitchen and down the hall.

Quietly opening the door, she slipped in and smiled at Carlisle as she stood in her usual spot beside Paul's bed. "How is he? Any change?"

Carlisle shook his head. "No, nothing yet. He's stable though and that's a good thing," he said before going back to his book.

Leaning over, Bella kissed Paul's temple and held his hand. "Hi baby. I'm back," she whispered while watching the gentle rise and fall of his chest. "Can you hear me, Paul?" she asked while squeezing his hand. When nothing happened, not a squeeze back or an eye twitch, she sighed and settled into her chair while opening her book where she'd left off.

She'd gotten a few more chapters in when an alarm went off and her head snapped up to see Carlisle already up and checking the leads. "What is it?" she asked and he frowned.

"It's the heart monitor, but it's probably just a faulty…lead…" he trailed off as the thing began screaming in earnest as the lines on the monitor that Bella was staring at went crazy.

"What's happening?!" she asked in horror as Paul's body began to twitch and stiffen while Carlisle hurriedly injected different drugs into his IV.

"Bella, I need you to calm down and stay out of the way," he said in a tone that brooked no disobedience.

Tears filled her eyes as she watched Carlisle adjust a small machine before grabbing two paddle looking things. "Move back Bella and do not touch him," he instructed before placing the paddles on different areas of Paul's chest and pressing a button which caused his body to stiffen and jerk. "Damn," he muttered before adjusting something on the unit.

"Carlisle?! Please tell me something?" she begged as he repositioned the paddles and tried again.

"His heart is not beating efficiently Bella and I am having to shock it back into a healthy rhythm."

"Oh god!" she cried, horrified as she reached for Paul out of instinct.

"No Bella!" Carlisle snapped, moving his body to cut her off. "Jacob Black!" he called out in a tone laced with authority as he injected yet another drug into Paul's IV. Jacob burst through the door a second later and Carlisle nodded toward the panicking Bella. "Get her out of here, now. I'm trying to save him and I can't do that with her in here."

Jake nodded and scooped a struggling Bella into his arms, carrying her out and shutting the door after him as she sobbed. "Paul," she cried as they walked down the hall and into the living room which was now packed with people. She struggled and screamed Paul's name again and Jake held on, doing his best to soothe her.

"Shh, Bella. The doc needs to do his thing and you can't be there…"

"No!" she said, looking into Jake's eyes, hers wide and wild with panic. "No! I have to be with him!" she said while pushing against his hold with all of her strength.

Jake gritted his teeth and held on. "You can't Bella! Let him work!"

To his relief, she relaxed in his arms and cried quietly. "I have to find him…I have to be there..."

He sat on the couch and smoothed down her hair with a hand. "Shh, you will, don't worry. The doc's good, Bella, the best. He'll be fine."

"You don't understand," she said, her voice full of tears and despair before she slowly looked up and gasped, her eyes wide. "He's…he's calling me…" she said, her voice now full of wonder as she smiled through her tears. "He's finally calling…"

"Wha…" Jake began to ask, but trailed off as she went slack in his arms, her head falling back and that same gentle smile still in place as her eyes closed and she slipped away.

**Your thoughts?**

**Please review!**

**'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	36. Chapter 36

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and any original characters therein. No copyright infringement intended.

A/N: Once again, thanks to all the lovely readers who left me reviews. Yeah, I write for myself, but I also write for you. Without you guys, these are just so many words on a page, and where's the fun in that? So again, you have my love and thanks. ~Spudz

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Chapter 36

Bella opened her eyes, fully expecting to see the familiar setting of her clearing in the woods, or perhaps the black void from before. Needless to say, when she found herself on the wooded slope of a mountain with a clear view of a small valley below, she frowned and began to walk while calling out, "Paul? Where are you?!" When no answer came, she cupped her hands around her mouth and tried again, "Paul!"

"He will not answer. Not yet," said a familiar voice just behind her and she startled and spun toward it to see the old woman standing there, the two white wolves standing faithfully at her side.

Bella knelt and the two wolves came to greet her but as she buried her hands in their soft scruff, her attention was focused fully on the old woman. "Why not? I felt him…he called to me, so it must be time," she said with a creased brow.

As Bella watched, the woman walked down the slope to a fallen tree where she turned back to Bella and beckoned her forward. "Come, sit, and you will see."

Giving the wolves one last scratch, she frowned and joined the woman, somehow knowing no matter how she questioned, she wouldn't get any answers. So she sat next to the quiet old lady and cast her attention toward the valley.

It took a few minutes, but as she watched, she finally saw movement on the far side of the valley, her heart jumping into her throat when she finally made out just who it was that had just broken through the tree line. "Paul!" she cried out and would have jumped up to run to him were it not for the staying hand of the woman and the two wolves who blocked her way. "Patience…" the old woman insisted.

"Bella!" he called out when he saw her, a smile breaking out on his face as he picked up his pace.

As Bella watched, another figure entered the valley from the other side and ran to intercept Paul; a figure she recognized as their Spirit Father, Taha Aki. Her mouth snapped shut and she wrung her hands as she watched the ancient being slam forcefully into Paul, sending him sprawling as he stood over him aggressively. Paul snarled and picked himself up, both men now facing each other proudly in obvious challenge. "You want her my son? Then you must first go through me. You must fight for her."

Paul's eyes flashed bright amber as he stood toe to toe with the ancient, his head finally dipping into a curt nod. "If that's what you require, then it's a fight you'll get."

Bella tensed and made to stand, only to be stopped by the old woman again. "Sit child," she ordered before turning to look at Bella. "This is his trial and he must face it." She turned her attention back to the two men in the valley before continuing, "Your trial is to watch and endure."

Bella pressed her lips together and settled back on the fallen tree just as Taha Aki turned and paced away from Paul before shimmering into his wolf form, causing Bella's breath to catch at how similar his wolf was to Paul's especially now that Paul had phased and she saw them together.

The only real difference was the two white fore-paws on the ancient's wolf and she concentrated on this as the two wolves began circling each other, their hackles up as they snarled and snapped at each other in what looked like some sort of pre-fight dance.

When the fight finally began, it was almost too fast for Bella to follow as they clashed and bit, both massive silver bodies twisting around each other as they desperately looked for weakness in their defenses.

At one point, when she could make out blood shining in the fur of both of them, Bella dropped her head and clenched her eyes shut until the woman gripped her forearm. "Do not dishonor your protector in such a way. He fights for you. Have the courage to watch him do so."

Bella raised her head and looked at the woman. "And if he loses?"

The woman remained stoic her eyes blinking slowly as she stared into the valley. "Then all is lost child, including the future of our people."

Bella looked back at the two fiercely battling wolves as she whispered, "Oh god Paul…I love you…feel me, please feel me and take strength from it…I love you."

Now on hind legs, the two wolves clashed, both snapping fiercely at each others necks, both looking for the bite that would prove their dominance, but neither finding such a weakness, so the fight continued as they broke apart and circled each other once again.

"Oh god," Bella murmured, her hands clenched into tight fists as the wolves lunged at each other again, blood now dripping from wounds on both, some of it spattering the dry grass around them as they twisted, snarled and snapped.

Again, they reared up, their eyes flashing as they both bared their teeth and struck, their timing just so that they locked on each others throats simultaneously, neither able to submit the other, and neither willing to concede.

Bella covered her mouth, her eyes wide as both proud Alphas remained locked that way for moments, both growling and shaking their heads. "They'll kill each other," she whispered but the old woman, her lips now curved into a tiny smile, patted her leg.

"They will not," was all she said as she looked on, her back straight and head held high, the pride of generations untold shining in her eyes.

"But, how…" Bella began but trailed off as the two wolves finally shimmered and phased back to their human forms, both men, bloodied and battered as they fell to their knees, shoulders heaving in the struggle to catch their breath.

Taha Aki was the first to rise to his feet and Bella watched as he held out a hand to his Spirit Son, pulling Paul to his feet and into a brief but fierce embrace before holding him at arms length, his expression proud as he spoke. "You have passed your final trial, my son and it is time for you to take your place alongside your mate. I am proud of you, and assured of the future of our people."

With that, he slipped his arm cuffs off and placed them on Paul's arms where they shimmered before sinking into the skin leaving dark silver tattoos that circled each bicep. Taha Aki smiled and glanced up at Bella before looking back at Paul. "Go now. My daughter has waited long enough."

As Paul turned and began walking from the valley, the old woman rose and looked down at Bella. "I will visit you soon to speak about your gift, child. Now go to your wolf. He needs you."

As the woman and wolves disappeared into the trees, Bella rose and began walking toward Paul, both of them now feeling cautious and neither knowing why. When they finally faced each other, they stared, just taking each other in until Bella slowly reached up to cup his cheek. As her hand neared his skin, Paul smiled and whispered her name but the moment she touched him, she gasped as all went black.

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Sam arrived back at his house, having left Jared at Sue's to help watch over the suffering doctor, with instructions to call him if anything changed. When he'd left, his cousin had been sleeping—albeit fitfully—in Sue's guest room.

Still, he was of the opinion his cousin was too far gone in the change to avoid it and it was only a matter of time and a sufficient trigger; something he was rather reluctant to provide as he had with Paul, considering all they were potentially facing at the moment. "I need a vacation," he muttered as he climbed his porch steps and entered his house.

The minute he closed the door, a deep frown creased his brow at the sight of Jacob Black clutching Paul's unconscious mate while desperately trying to wake her as everyone else in the house watched on. "What's going on?" he snapped.

Jacob stopped patting Bella's face and looked up with wide eyes. "She won't wake up."

Sam's jaw clenched and he struggled for patience. "That much is clear, now what happened?"

Jake ran a hand over his hair before rising from the couch and lying Bella down on it. "I'm not sure really. Uh, she was in Paul's room along with the doc and I guess shit started happening with Paul. I guess it was pretty serious 'cause Bella freaked and the doc called for me to get her outta there. I did and she was struggling and crying, saying that she had to get back to him, she had to find him or some shit, but I couldn't let her go because the doc said to keep her out so he could save Paul.

"I got her kinda calm and then she said something like 'he's calling' and fucking passed out!"

Sam gave him a sharp nod. "Wait here," he said as he walked down the hall and opened the door to Paul's room. Dr. Cullen glanced up and greeted him, "Sam."

Entering the room fully, he closed the door and glanced at Paul. "Everything okay?"

The doctor adjusted the flow on an IV and nodded. "Yes, I've finally got him back to a normal sinus rhythm but it was a close thing there for a while."

Sam cocked a brow. "In english this time, doc?"

Carlisle gave him a faint smile. "Apologies. He had a cardiac event—a heart attack, basically—but he's stabilized now."

Sam watched as the vampire doctor shook his head before beckoning him closer. "There's something else—something I think you should see."

He moved closer to the bed and Carlisle moved some tubes and wires before pointing to Paul's upper biceps. "These just showed up while I was working on him," he said while pointing out what looked like dark silver arm-band tattoos—one on each arm. He glanced up and met the Alpha's shocked gaze. "Aside from his pack tattoo, his arms were bare one moment, and the next…" he trailed off, motioning toward the distinctive markings.

Sam shook his head. "Something to ask him about when he wakes I guess," he muttered. "Speaking of which," he continued, meeting the vampire's golden gaze, "I believe he needs his mate and she needs him. Is it safe to bring her in? She's unconscious, so if there's a way to fit her on the bed, I think that would be best."

Carlisle looked skeptical, so Sam elaborated. "Indulge me Doc. I don't know why, but I have a feeling about this—that it's important."

Carlisle sighed, but nodded. "Has Sue looked at her?"

"No, Sue went home to keep an eye on Lucas."

"Fine, I should have a look at her anyway then. Go and get her while I arrange things in here."

Sam went out and scooped up Bella from the couch and by the time he got back with her, there was a cleared space for her next to Paul. Lying her down carefully, he reached down and slipped off her shoes as Carlisle began to check her over. "Just as last time, I can find nothing wrong," Carlisle commented after flashing a light in both her eyes. "We'll just have to…"

Bella gasped a huge breath then, cutting off what he was saying as her eyes flashed open. "Paul," she said, seeming to be instantly alert as she leaned up to look at her mate.

"Bella…" Carlisle began but trailed off as Paul's heart rate picked up, his eyes blinking open as he struggled against the breathing tube.

"Shh, baby, try not to fight it," Bella said while stroking his brow. She then looked at Carlisle. "Can you take that out?" she asked as Paul's hands fisted the sheet.

Carlisle frowned. "I'll have to assess him first, but yes, if he's sufficiently conscious, I'll remove it," he agreed, already beginning to examine his glaring patient as Bella slid off the bed to stand in her usual place at the head.

She could see Paul struggle with having a vampire check him over and she reached up to stroke his brow. "Paul," she soothed, "he saved your life. I know having him this close goes against your every instinct, but you need to, baby. He's helping you, believe me."

Paul blinked at her and relaxed a bit, his fingers no longer tearing at the sheet, and she smiled.

"Paul," Sam greeted with a half smile as the other Alpha's gaze flitted from Bella to him. "Glad to see you awake. Bella's right, Dr. Cullen saved your life, but we can talk about that later. Now that I'm sure you're not gonna lose it, I'll get out of here so the Doc can do what he needs to do."

Paul blinked at him so he nodded and left the room, intent on sharing the good news with the pack.

Bella took Paul's hand and squeezed lightly, tears misting her eyes as she felt him squeeze back. "I missed you…so much," she said as Carlisle prepared to extubate him.

"Bella, if you could stand back for a moment, please?" Carlisle asked as he adjusted the bed and loosened the tape on Paul's face that held the breathing tube in place.

"Of course," she said, giving Paul's hand a squeeze before moving away to watch as Carlisle tilted Paul's chin up a bit. "I want you to cough as I remove the tube, all right? After it's out, I want you to breathe deeply and cough a few more times to make sure your airway is clear. Also, try not to talk too soon, at least until you've had a few sips of water. Your throat will probably be sore for a day or so, depending on how quickly you heal. Blink for me if you understand."

Bella nearly laughed as Paul rolled his eyes and glared. Carlisle merely smirked and grasped the tube.

"All right then, on the next exhale," he said before smoothly pulling the tube out while Paul made an uncomfortable sound that was a cross between gagging and choking before finally taking a breath on his own, his eyes tearing up as he immediately coughed.

"Shit," he whisper-rasped and Carlisle shook his head.

"Try not to talk," he admonished. "Give yourself time to heal and adjust first."

Paul nodded, still eyeing the doctor warily and Bella stepped back to the bed, a big smile on her face as a few tears traced down her cheeks. "God, it's so good to see your face again."

"Love you," Paul whispered back.

Carlisle glanced up at the monitor and back to Paul. "Take some deep breaths for me and cough a few more times," he said, waiting for Paul to comply before glancing back at the monitor with a nod.

"Everything okay Carlisle?" Bella asked and he nodded.

"So far, things look good. Due to the earlier episode, I'll be keeping a close watch on him, but he seems to be improving at a rapid pace." He began cleaning up and throwing away some things before glancing at Bella. "Do you want to make phone calls, or shall I? I'm sure his mother and Chief Swan would appreciate it."

Bella gasped and pulled her phone from her pocket. "God, I should've thought of it! I'll call them right now."

Carlisle nodded before looking at Paul. "Take some more deep breaths and cough and then I'll give you a few sips of water."

He watched both the monitor and his patient as Paul did as he said before saying, "I'll be right back with that water," and leaving the room.

By the time he came back, Bella was ending the call with Lisa. "She and Charlie are on their way," she said as Carlisle handed her the cup of water.

"Just a few sips at first, Bella. I want to make sure he doesn't aspirate, but even that little bit of water should make talking more comfortable."

Paul didn't look happy having anyone help him sip through a straw, but Bella ignored the petulant look in his eyes and smiled. "Better?" she asked while setting the cup aside and Paul nodded.

"Yeah," he rasped before trying to push himself up in the bed.

"You wanna sit up?" she asked and he nodded. She looked to Carlisle. "Is that okay?

He smiled. "Yes, go ahead," he said before looking at Paul. "Just don't try to do too much too soon. Your body's been through a lot and you need to allow yourself a day or two to recover."

Bella adjusted the bed and the pillow behind his head not missing how Paul was scowling at all of the equipment in the room, the tubes still connected to him, and the cast that was still on his arm. "I want outta here," he said, his voice still gritty as he met Bella's gaze. "Get me outta here."

She locked gazes with Carlisle who shook his head before looking at Paul. "Not for another day or two at least, I'm afraid. Not until I've done some tests and we know you're truly on the mend. You've been very sick and although you're beginning to recover, we wouldn't want any setbacks. It's imperative that I make certain you're over any adverse effects from the venom poisoning before you go back to normal activity."

Paul growled and then began coughing and Bella handed him the cup of water which he took gratefully.

"Bella, I'm going to step out for a bit," Carlisle said as he pocketed his phone. "I won't be gone long, but call if there are any changes or concerns, no matter how small."

"All right. Thanks Carlisle," she answered as the vampire slipped from the room and closed the door.

Turning back to Paul, she took the cup and set it aside before climbing back onto the bed. Lying on her side, her head propped with one hand, she traced a hand over Paul's bare chest and shoulder while looking into his eyes. When her eyes caught sight of the arm-bands, she gasped a bit and traced the new tattoo with a finger before meeting his eyes again. "Do you remember?" she murmured and he nodded.

"Yeah, I remember everything," he said before glancing down at her midsection. With care, he placed his hand over her belly. "My baby girl's in there," he said as he stared down at his hand and Bella choked up, but hid it by lying her head on his warm chest.

"You know," was all she could manage to say.

"Yeah," he whispered. "I mean, I had figured it out before the fight, before all of this happened, but…" he trailed off and she rose up to see his face. He looked…ashamed so she leaned over and gave him a soft kiss.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I wanted to tell you…so many times…but I was afraid—terrified really. I didn't think you'd accept it much less be happy and I love you too much to lose you…I just…" she began to ramble but Paul placed a finger against her lips.

"Shh, I get it, and honestly, you were right to be scared, especially with my attitude about kids. I know it couldn't have been easy for you, but Bella, I want you to know that I love you more than my own life…" he choked up a bit, his throat constricting with tears when he thought about how close he'd come to losing her—to losing everything. "I want you to know that I've learned some things about myself and while I'm never gonna be perfect, I'm willing to try, B. For you and our baby girl, I'm willing to try."

Tears ran freely from her eyes now and her heart felt like it would burst from the love she felt for this man—her protector—her silver wolf…

Leaning over, she kissed his lips softly and laid her head against his chest, relishing in the closeness as he wrapped an arm around her and held her close.

They were finally together again…and despite everything they'd yet to face, she knew now, in her heart and her soul…they'd be all right. Their little family was gonna be all right...

**Your thoughts?**

**Please review!**

**'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	37. Chapter 37

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and any original characters therein. No copyright infringement intended.

A/N: Hi all. I've been nominated in the 2016 Non-Canon awards for Non-Canon Author and my story "Breaking Free" was nominated for best Jasper/Bella and my story "All I Need" was nominated for best Marcus/Bella. Also, my story "Family, Ready Made", under my other pen name Avvolto has been nominated for best Carlisle/Bella. If you could cruise by **thenoncanonawards . wordpress . com** (remove spaces) and vote, I'd be forever grateful! Love and light, ~Spudz

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**Chapter 37**

Carlisle rubbed his forehead, one hand on his hip as he prayed for patience and above all, tact before looking back at his patient.

"Look Dr. Fang, it's not that I don't appreciate all you've done for me, because I do, but I feel fine now and if you don't remove all these fucking tubes and wires, right fucking now," he growled, "I'm gonna rip 'em out myself and walk outta here whether you like it or not. You've stuck me for blood too many god damned times to count and I'm sick of it. You've done your tests, now let me go."

Carlisle frowned as a heavy sigh left him. "Paul, as I've already told you, some of the tests aren't complete yet and others were inconclusive. Now, I can remove the cast and a majority of the tubes and wires as you call them, but I need you to stay and rest until I have conclusive test results back.

"Despite what you may think, I am not doing this to torture you. I'm doing this so you don't suffer a relapse from incomplete treatment, it's as simple as that."

He watched as the young shifter's eyes flashed amber. "And I'm telling you I feel fine. I know my body and I'd know if there was something wrong and there isn't!"

The door opened and Bella stepped in, her brow pinched in a frown. "What's going on? I heard you all the way from the kitchen and I'm human." She glanced between the two men—one obviously exasperated and one very pissed off—and raised a brow. "Well, don't everyone speak at once…"

Both her brows shot up as that's exactly what happened, both of them talking over each other until Carlisle relented with a gesture toward Paul. "By all means, you explain it to her."

"Fine," the surly shifter snapped before meeting Bella's gaze. "I'm fine and he insists on keeping me tied to this fucking bed like some invalid. It's bullshit."

Bella looked down at the floor, her hands on her hips as she thought through the situation. She was so happy that Paul was back to being himself—but then, that was also the problem; Paul was back to being himself.

She could have chuckled at the situation, but managed to stifle the urge as she looked up at Carlisle who gazed back patiently. The more she was around him, the more she swore the man—vampire—was a saint. He certainly had the patience of one… "Carlisle?" she prompted and he smiled faintly.

"As I've explained to him, some of his test results are not back yet, and some that are were inconclusive. Until I can be sure he's healed completely, I would like him to remain here where he can be monitored closely, especially since he suffered a serious cardiac event so recently."

She looked back at Paul. "Sounds reasonable to me."

Paul scowled. "Yeah? Of course it would sound reasonable to you. But I've been awake for two fucking days, I feel fine, and you're not the one who can't even get up to take a piss because I still have tubes and wires everywhere."

She sighed and looked back at Carlisle. "Can we do something about that?"

Carlisle gave a slow nod. "Yes, I think that's perfectly reasonable. I'm willing to discontinue everything except one IV line."

"And he'll be able to get around to the bathroom…maybe even shower if he wants to?"

Carlisle nodded. "Yes, especially if it will put him in a better mood," he added dryly.

"Gettin' the fuck outta here will put me in a better mood…" Paul grumbled and this time, Bella did smile.

"Okay, well, I'm just gonna go back to the kitchen and get some lunch together." She glanced at Carlisle. "That should give you plenty of time to…" she waved a hand, "disconnect everything…" She looked over at Paul. "And you probably even have time for a nice hot shower before I get back with your lunch. I brought clothes from home for you. They're in the black duffel in the closet."

Paul nodded and she eyed him for a beat. "Be nice," she said, purposely ignoring Paul's scoff as she left the room.

When she walked into the kitchen, Sam smirked at her. "Get it all worked out?" he asked dryly before taking a long drink from his can of soda.

Flipping on the water at the sink, she began washing her hands. "I hope so, but you know Paul. He feels better so he wants out and he isn't gonna be happy until that happens, no matter what the doctor or anyone else says."

Charlie put down the sandwich he was eating and wiped his mouth on a napkin before looking at his wife. "Think we should have a talk with him?"

Lisa shook her head. "I'm not sure that's a good idea." She looked at Bella who'd started making lunch for herself and Paul. "Did you get it worked out?"

Bella nodded while stirring some soup on the stove. "Yeah, I think so…for now…maybe." Charlie snorted at that and she ignored him. "Carlisle agreed to disconnect everything but one IV line, so he'll be able to move around…take a shower, get some real clothes on… It's a compromise at least until the doc gets some solid test results back."

Lisa looked relieved. "Good. He's always hated doctors. I think it's from all the time he spent recovering from what Jimmy did over the years."

Everyone fell silent at that until Bella couldn't stand it anymore. "Speaking of doctors…" she commented as she put some sandwiches together to go with the soup, "how's Lucas doing? Has he wolfed out yet?"

Emily snickered as she put away the load of groceries Charlie and Lisa had brought over with them. "Wolfed out…" she muttered and Bella smirked at her as Sam nodded.

"That's one way of putting it, but yes, he has. Jared barely got him out of Sue's house in time."

"What triggered it?" Bella asked as she set up a tray with cutlery and napkins.

"From what I can gather from his thoughts, he'd spent his time during the fever, thinking about what all of this would mean for his life and it pissed him off. He resents it, as most of us do at first, so when Sue came in to talk to him, spouting stuff about how the Spirits and the fates know best, yada, yada…well, let's just say he didn't take her pep-talk very well. He started yelling, she yelled back, things went to hell from there. Jared dragged his ass outta the house and the rest, as they say, is history."

Bella frowned. "Where is Sue by the way? I haven't seen her in a while." She leaned against the counter, watching as her Dad rubbed his eyes and Sam sighed heavily before meeting her gaze.

"She's been with Harry. During all that hell I mentioned? Well, Harry started having chest pains. It wasn't quite a heart attack, but it was close."

"Oh god," she muttered. "I'm sorry to hear that. Will he be all right?"

Sam nodded. "Lucas seems to think so. He's ordered lots of changes, mainly diet and exercise type stuff along with some drugs…needless to say, I think our bonfires will now have to include chicken and fish and other healthy shit, at least the ones the elders attend."

Bella cocked a brow at Charlie who turned red. "Don't look at me like that, kid," he grumbled.

"It won't hurt you to eat healthy, honey," Lisa said with a pat on his leg. "I plan to keep you around for a very long time."

"Cutting back on the vitamin R wouldn't hurt either," Bella tossed in and he shot her a dark look.

"Not you too…"

She snickered and glanced at Sam as she arranged the food on the tray. "Is it safe to go back there yet?"

He cocked his head for a moment and nodded. "Yeah, sounds quiet now. He got out of the shower a few ago, so…"

"Cool, thanks," she said while hefting the tray. "See you all in a while."

As she passed through the living room, she shot a rueful smile at Carlisle who nodded back. Now that Paul was recovering, the doctor had done all he could to give the shifter his space, only going into his patient's room when necessary.

Balancing the tray on her hip, she opened the door and nudged it open. "Hey," she said as she closed the door and placed the tray on a side table. "You hungry?"

He smirked and she nodded. "Okay, dumb question."

She put the tray in his lap and sat on the side of the bed facing him. "Nothing fancy," she said as she unfolded her napkin.

"It's fine shorty, it looks good and I'm starving, especially since Dr. Fang hasn't let me have any solid food until now."

"Paul…"

"Yeah, yeah, be nice but believe me, I _am_ being nice," he grumbled before taking a huge bite of sandwich.

With a sigh, she started eating, choosing not to argue the point.

"So, we have a new wolf?" he asked while starting on the second sandwich.

She nodded. "Yeah, Sue's brother, the doctor."

He glanced up. "The one that was supposed to take over for Dr. Fang?"

She narrowed her eyes. "Could you please stop calling him that?"

"Why?" he asked, his eyes sparkling with mischief as he sipped soup from his mug.

"Because it's disrespectful and I think he's earned our respect, or at least our courtesy."

"If you're waiting for me to bow down and express my undying gratitude, you'll be waiting a very long time, B. Ain't gonna happen. He's a vampire, I'm a wolf, that's just how it is."

She crossed her arms and scowled at him as he smirked behind the rim of his glass. "You're such a stubborn ass, you know that?"

Almost before she could register his movements, the tray was back on the table and she was pinned beneath him as he smirked down at her. "I know," he said while gently sweeping the hair from her face. "but I'm _your_ stubborn ass and you love me."

He kissed her then and all her irritation vanished, especially as his hand wandered down her side to grip her thigh. "Paul…" she panted when he finally let her breathe, his kisses now trailing down the side of her neck. "Paul," she repeated, "is this…are you allowed to…" He ground his undeniably hard cock against her center and she hooked a leg around his hip while arching into him. "Oh god," she moaned. "I missed this."

Two things happened then, almost simultaneously: the door burst open to a frantic looking Carlisle and a wolf howled low and long, not too far away. "My daughter Alice just phoned…there are Volturi scouts in the area and she didn't see them until moments ago."

Paul's head snapped up and he pinned the vampire with his gaze. "Does Sam know?"

Carlisle shook his head. "Not from me, he was out the door as soon as the wolf howled and I came here first to make sure you wouldn't do something rash like phase and go out there. It's too soon and we don't know…"

Paul cut him off with a snarl as he hopped from the bed and pulled the IV from his arm. "Screw that. I'm going," he said while pulling his shirt over his head.

Bella sat up, her eyes wide. "Paul…"

He reached over and cupped her cheek. "I have to do this, Bella. You know that." He looked back at Carlisle then. "Did she give a count?"

Carlisle looked resigned. "She saw ten, all lower ranked."

With a nod and a quick kiss to Bella, Paul took off and they heard the front screen slam seconds later.

Bella slid to the side of the bed, her hands clenched in her lap as she looked at Carlisle. "Will he be okay phasing?"

Carlisle studied the girl for a moment before slowly shaking his head. "I just don't know, Bella. I'm sorry," he said as he clamped the dangling IV line that had formed a small pool of liquid on the floor. "I wish I could say yes, but we'll just have to wait and see."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

He phased as soon as he entered the tree line, the transition feeling more natural and painless than it ever had before and he took a second to revel in the feeling as he tore through familiar terrain.

When he brought his focus back on the anticipated fight though, he nearly stumbled in shock because now, somehow, he could sense in his mind every target and their number, something he decided to share with his brothers even as he adjusted his direction in order to reach his first kill. _**"Sam!"**_

_**"Paul?! What the fuck are you doing out here?!"**_

He growled mentally. _**"No time for that bullshit. Look at what I'm showing you and use the information. There are twelve of them. I'm heading to take out the southernmost target now and I'll work my way to the north. You guys work your way south and we should be able to get them all that way."**_

Sam sounded shocked as he questioned, _**"How?!"**_

_**"Not sure,"** _Paul answered, _**"and no time to question it right now. Just use it and we'll talk about it later when all these fuckers are smoked."**_

Sam sighed. _**"At least let me send Jared to you."**_

He jumped over a small river and snarled. _**"Don't waste time treating me like an invalid! Stay focused on the pack and the fight! I got this!"**_

_**"Fine, you stubborn ass,"**_ Sam growled. _**"Just try not to get killed or Bella will have all our asses."**_

A familiar, acrid scent hit Paul's senses and he growled lowly while picking up speed. _**"Play time's over. I'm just about on it. Talk to ya later."**_

With that, he barreled up on a very shocked looking vampire who spun on his heel and took off at the sight of the giant silver wolf. Paul smiled mentally as the creature muttered to himself in frantic Italian as his jaws shredded his billowing, grey cloak. "Merda!" the thing snapped with a wide-eyed glance back before jumping for the nearest tree.

_"No you don't fucker!"_ Paul thought as he launched himself, his powerful back legs propelling him enough to snatch the terrified vampire right off the branch he'd just grabbed. Shocked red eyes locked with glowing amber as Paul bit straight through both legs, effectively relieving the vampire of most of his lower body in one go as a pale fist took a desperate swipe at his head.

Like lightning, Paul twisted away from the glancing blow and grabbed the thing by its head just as it hit the ground. With a mighty shake, the body separated and he tossed the head in the other direction before tearing both arms off.

With that one out of commission, he focused on the next closest target and took off, soon locating it by scent. This one he could see was a female and she shrieked as she ran from him, her frantic babbling becoming clearer as he drew ever closer. "No, per favore!" she cried as her long, blonde hair trailed behind her.

With a lunge and a snap of his jaws, some of that flowing hair came away from her head in a gruesome chunk which he spat out with a growl as she jumped into the trees. _"Fuck!"_ he thought as he ran along below her. She was too high for him to get to, but he wasn't about to give up. He'd phase and go after her that way if he had to. It was just a matter of patience and timing.

After following along for moments, he could see he was right as she began to slow before eventually stopping, her attitude now one of gloating as she stared down at him. "Aw, such a shame," her heavily accented voice taunted as she smiled. "It would seem I have you at a disadvantage, eh, pretty puppy?" She shook her head and tsk'ed. "Bad for you, but much more fun for me."

It was then that Paul had had enough and her eyes went wide as he phased. "Why stop the game now, you parasitic bitch?" With that, he swung up into the tree, and she backed away with a quiet hiss before taking in his naked form.

"Such a shame," she purred as her eyes roamed his body. "You'd be worth taking home if you didn't stink so badly. It's a shame I have to kill you now."

His lip curled. "I can't say the same, bitch, even if you didn't stink like the dead, your ass wouldn't be worth crossing the street for." Without warning, he lunged, wrapping her cold body securely as they hurtled through small branches to the ground.

_"Fuck!"_ The frantic thought was all he had time for as he felt her sharp teeth sink into his forearm just as he phased.

She turned loose and screamed when she realized what was going on, but it was too late by then and it was the last sound she would ever make as the silver wolf took her head off in one body-twisting bite before ripping the rest of her apart. He didn't stop until she was a shredded mess, his body standing over her parts, sides heaving in great breaths while his mind spun with the fear that gripped him.

She'd bitten him and now he was just waiting for the poison to take him as it had the last time. His heart lurched at the thought. He was lucky last time. He knew the blond warrior had sucked out most of the venom last time, but there was no one here to do that now…

Was this it? Would he die for real this time?

_**"Sam,"**_ he called out, his mental tenor surprisingly calm despite what had happened.

_**"Paul?"**_ Sam answered, sounding jubilant. _**"We got ten of the fuckers! You get the other two?"**_

_**"Yeah,"**_ he answered, confusion setting in when he didn't feel the poison taking over as it had last time. _**"Yeah, I did, but I need you to tell Bella, if I don't make it…tell her I love her and our little girl, okay? And—take care of them for me."**_

Sam's voice changed instantly. _**"What the fuck's going on, Lahote? What happened?!"**_

He shook his head, still not feeling any different. _**"I got bit."**_

_**"Oh fuck…Lahote, god damn it…"**_

_**"Look,"** _Paul said in a shocked daze, _**"I'm gonna head back to your place. You guys got the clean up, okay?"**_

_**"Lahote! Don't you move! We'll be there in a few and take you to the doc! You made it through once. He can bring you through again…just fucking stay put!"**_

The silver wolf shook his head. _**"It's different this time…feels different. I—I think I'll be okay. Just make sure you get all of the parts I left. Hopefully, I'll see you back at your place."**_

With that, he began to run back to Sam's, fully ignoring the other Alpha that was cursing a blue streak in his head.

Once back at Sam's, he phased and grabbed an extra pair of shorts from a bag kept at the back of the property. Slipping into them, he glanced down at the fresh bite mark on his left forearm as he walked to the back door. He still didn't feel any different and was confused and a little freaked by that.

Opening the door, he stepped in and seconds later, caught Bella as she wrapped him in a fierce hug. "Oh, thank god…" she muttered against his warm chest before looking up at him. "Everything okay?" she asked. "Did you guys get them?"

"Yeah," he mumbled before taking a seat at the table while everyone watched him warily.

"Paul?" His mother questioned as Bella perched on his knee. "What's wrong?"

Carlisle walked in and muttered a curse under his breath as his eyes zeroed in on the fresh bite. "Paul, I need you back in your room, now!"

Paul merely nodded before placing Bella on her feet and going with the doctor. "Paul?" Bella asked as she followed. "Carlisle, what's going on?" she asked, her panic rising as Paul calmly sat on the edge of the bed.

"He's been bitten again," Carlisle answered, beginning to assess his patient while ignoring the sharp gasps of all who'd followed from the kitchen.

Charlie wrapped his shaking wife and daughter in his arms as they all watched

Paul looked up at the doctor who was busy looking at the bite while taking his blood pressure. "I don't feel any different," he muttered. "This isn't like last time… It's like it's not effecting me at all."

Carlisle met his gaze. "When were you bitten? How far did you travel after?"

Paul shrugged. "It's been about fifteen—twenty minutes?" He shrugged. "I jumped into a tree to get to the leech. She bit me on the way to the ground where I phased into the wolf and took her out for good." He looked up at Bella and grimaced as Carlisle tied off his arm and stuck him with a needle to draw blood. "We got all of them, B. There were twelve. I took out two."

After getting the vials he needed, Carlisle turned to Charlie, Lisa and Bella. "I'm going to look at these samples under the scope. He's stable for now. I'll give you a report when I know something."

As soon as Carlisle left the room, Bella launched herself at Paul. "Hey," he soothed, running his fingers through her hair as she silently cried against him. "I think I'm gonna be okay. I feel fine, baby. I'm not sure how, but it's true."

"How could you do this to me again?" she sobbed and his heart lurched.

"I'm sorry baby…really sorry," he murmured as he rocked her. "But you know this is what I am…what I do." He drew back to look in her eyes, his hands cupping her face. "You know I have to do this."

She shook her head. "No, it's too soon. You should've stayed here. You're still healing…"

Just then, they all heard the front door bang open and a moment later, Sam was in the doorway, looking murderous. "I told you to stay put, Lahote!"

Paul and his inner wolf bristled at his tone and his lip curled. "And I told you I was coming back here, Uley."

Sam eyed him for a beat. "The trip should've killed you."

Bella gasped and tightened her grip on Paul as he shot the other Alpha a dark look. "Not helping, Uley, and as you can see, I'm still very much alive."

Charlie eyed both posturing males while still doing his best to comfort his trembling wife. "Scale it back, both of you," he grumbled before turning to Sam. "The doc says he's stable for now and he's looking at some blood under the scope. He said he'll tell us more when he knows something. Until then, why don't we all move to the kitchen and give these two some privacy? I could use a beer."

Once they'd all taken seats around the table and Charlie'd taken a good pull from a fresh beer, he turned toward Sam. "So, I hear there was a bunch of them? Did you get 'em all?"

Sam inclined his head just as the rest of the pack began to trickle in. They all knew what'd happened so were staying quiet. "Yeah, we did. There were twelve total. They were more experienced than the ones we fought before, but they didn't seem to know what to make of us."

Charlie frowned. "You mean you surprised them?"

Sam shook his head. "No, I wouldn't say that. It's like they'd heard about us, but seeing us up close and personal was a shock to them—like they hadn't been adequately prepared. Now that I look back on it, it seems like they were merely scouting."

"From what I know of the Volturi, that would make sense."

They all focused on the doctor as he leaned against the door jamb. "Their cloaks were grey not black, right?"

Sam nodded before taking a pull from his beer. "Yeah, all were the same medium grey, why?"

Carlisle nodded. "They were lower ranked guards then, not the elite they would send for a serious fight. I wouldn't be surprised if they had an Elite guard observing what happened today. It's how they operate."

Sam frowned. "Paul didn't pick up more than twelve."

"What do you mean?" Carlisle asked, his interest now piqued.

"Something has changed with him. He was able to sense all the targets—their locations and numbers. It gave us one hell of an edge and we were able to close in on them in no time. The only part that pissed me off was Lahote insisting he didn't need help."

Charlie sighed and ran a hand over his face before meeting Carlisle's gaze. "Speaking of—how'd those tests come out?"

Carlisle smiled faintly. "The results were very interesting, Charlie. His blood destroys venom on contact. I even tested it with my own venom and got the same results. I feel confident in saying he's immune to vampire bites now."

Just then, Lucas walked in the back door and took a seat at the table. Sam eyed him for a beat, his eyes narrowing as he spoke. "Lucas, how's your control? I told you I didn't want you out until you could control the wolf."

"I've been fine, Sam," he responded with a tired sigh. "As long as I have work to focus on, I'm okay and I'm going crazy being cooped up at Sue's."

"Fine," Sam rumbled, "but if I see you slipping an inch, I'll deal with you myself. There are too many here who could get hurt if you lose your shit."

He nodded. "I understand," he said before looking back at Carlisle. A slight tremor ran through his body and he fought it back. "Did I hear you say Mr. Lahote is now immune to vampire venom?"

Carlisle nodded. "You did."

Lucas's eyes fairly lit up. "Do you think we could isolate it and create an effective vaccine for the rest of us? I will gladly volunteer to be the first test subject."

Carlisle's eyes widened. "The thought had occurred to me, but that's a huge risk you'd be taking, doctor. You've read his file—what his body went through to get to this point—injecting you with any derivative of his blood could kill you."

Lucas smiled ruefully. "You know as well as I that there are no advancements made without risk, doctor. You're clearly brilliant at what you do and I'm willing, so when do we start?"

Carlisle chuckled, raising a tawny brow at the ambitious shifter. "You think you can handle working in close quarters with me?"

Lucas shuddered again and gritted his teeth before relaxing. "Scared, Doctor? It's not like I could hurt you," he said with a smirk and Carlisle nodded.

"All right then, let's get to it, shall we?"

Lucas rose and followed Carlisle to the room he was using as a lab, the last thing both of them hearing was Emily as she shouted out, "Don't wreck my house!"

Bella perked up from where she'd rested against Paul's chest, one brow rising as she heard Emily's shout. "I wonder what that was about."

Paul continued to twirl a lock of her hair around his finger as he shrugged against the pillows he was propped against. "Something about the new shifter working with Dr. Fang. She's probably worried the newbie'll shift in the house from being close to a leech."

She relaxed back onto him. "You think he will?"

"He may," he said as his hand strayed over her shoulder and to her back. "It's only been a couple of days for him, so stay away from him, okay? None of this 'worrying about hurting his feelings' shit, either, Shorty. He enters the room, you leave it. He'll understand."

"I can't go treating him like a pariah forever, Paul…"

He flipped their positions and kissed her lips lightly before muttering, "And you don't have to. Just give him time to learn control—a couple of weeks—then you can make friends."

Her face heated with a blush. "That's hardly the goal either, Paul. Has it occurred to you, he'll be the one to deliver our daughter?"

Paul nibbled along her jawline and muttered, "Sue could do it."

Bella closed her eyes and hmm'ed, one hand finding its way into his thick, raven hair as his kisses traveled the length of her neck. "No way. Nothing against Sue, but I want a doctor there for that."

"Whatever you want, Shorty," he murmured as he cupped her breast and nuzzled it before gently biting the beaded nipple through the thin barrier of her shirt.

"Too many clothes…" she muttered while edging his shorts down with her feet.

"I dunno, baby," he said through a grin. "I might be too feeble to satisfy you," he finished with a lusty thrust against her center to tease.

Her eyes snapped open and she grabbed his face. "Cut the bullshit and get me naked, Lahote."

"Yes Ma'am," he answered with a wide smile while helping her out of her shirt. Her pants were next to go and she moaned low in her throat as the heel of his hand firmly rubbed her mound.

"Quit teasing," she said while arching against him. "I need you."

"Look at you," he breathed, his eyes sparkling with a light of awe as he took her in. His hand reverently ghosted over her belly and he leaned down and kissed the gentle swell. "That's my baby girl in there."

She smiled and carded her fingers through his hair. "So sure it's a girl?"

His head snapped up. "Yeah. I met her, and she's so beautiful, Bella—just like her mother," he whispered as he covered her body with his.

A tear traced into Bella's hair as he cupped her face and kissed her, her body wrapping his as he entered her with a low groan. "Home," he whispered. "This is home."

"Yeah, it is," she breathed against his lips as he began to move inside her. "The only one I'll ever need."

**Your thoughts?**

**Please review!**

**Oh, and go vote, yeah?**

**Light and love,**

**~Spudz**


	38. Chapter 38

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and any original characters therein. No copyright infringement intended.

A/N: Had a request for more citrus in the last round of reviews, so hope this helps out with that. For the **awesome readers** that do leave love via reviews, I just want to send you love and thanks in return. **You guys** are the ones who keep me going, and I will finish this story for **you**. Love and light, ~Spudz

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_Previously:_

_A tear traced into Bella's hair as he cupped her face and kissed her, her body wrapping his as he entered her with a low groan. "Home," he whispered. "This is home."_

_"Yeah, it is," she breathed against his lips as he began to move inside her. "The only one I'll ever need."_

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**Chapter 38**

Lucas tossed down the patient's lab report he'd been reading and rubbed his eyes tiredly. He felt entirely too old for this wolf shit. He'd spent most of the previous night running patrol with Sam, or 'learning the ropes' as his cousin termed it. Consequently, he'd only gotten about two hours of sleep before coming into the clinic for work. The lack of sleep reminded him of his less than pleasant residency days; days he'd hoped to be well past at this stage of his life.

"Fuck," he muttered before wrinkling his nose at the tepid coffee in his cup. "Get over it, Uley. This is what it is, no use crying over it."

He'd just entered the break room, intent on getting fresh coffee when the nurse waylaid him. "Dr. Uley? You have a new OB patient waiting in exam two. Nancy squeezed her in since you had an opening."

Of course she did, he thought snidely, his lack of sleep making him less than charitable. His jaw clenched and he bit back verbalizing the less than pleasant reply with practiced ease. "All right, be right there. You get her history and vitals?" he asked while pouring coffee before downing half the scorching contents without even tasting it.

"Sure did. Everything's set."

"Good," he said through a yawn while setting his cup by the sink. "Let's go then."

They walked down the hall together and he grabbed the file from the pocket on the door before lightly knocking. Walking in, he barely spared a glance at the heavily pregnant, paper-clad woman on the table as he set the file down next to the tiny sink, grabbed a seat on the rolling stool and flipped it open to read. "Good morning, Miss…Black," he said, his voice a preoccupied monotone as his eyes skimmed her information, his mind taking in all the pertinent details. "It says here, you're thirty six weeks along with your first?"

"Yes, that's right," he heard her answer.

He nodded and jotted a note, his eyes never leaving the file. "Well, your vitals and weight gain look good, but it looks like you've had minimal care thus far…" He glanced at her for confirmation. She was staring at her hands in her sheet-covered lap and her long, black hair shrouded her face.

"That's true," she finally admitted. "I couldn't afford it and didn't have insurance." She looked up and met his gaze and he froze as the bottom of everything dropped out and his world completely realigned.

He watched as her dark eyes widened while his inner voice, after catching up with what'd just happened, went off on a rant. _'Oh fuck, what now Uley?' it sneered. 'Bursting into a god damned canine isn't good enough for you?! Now you have to have some mystical, magical, thoroughly ass-reaming tie to a random pregnant female?! Jesus H. Christ…when life fucks you Uley, it brings its A-game.'_

Yes, he'd be the first to admit—his inner voice was an unapologetic, and entirely cynical asshole.

"Doctor?" Ann the nurse broke through his mental self-flagellation session and he broke his stare with the equally shell-shocked patient to look at her. "Everything all right?"

He blinked and smoothly snapped himself back into professional mode. "Yes, of course," he said, arranging his face into what he hoped was a bland smile and not the grimace it actually felt like. "I just need to step out for a moment. Excuse me." He grabbed the file and got out of there like his ass was on fire.

Stalking down the hall while raking shaking fingers through his hair, he rapped on Sue's office door and shoved the file into her hands when she answered. "I cannot take this case. Conflict of interest, she's in exam two," he snapped. She opened her mouth to speak but before she could splutter any kind of response, he turned on his heel, walked into his office and slammed the door.

Flopping into his seat behind the desk, he rested both elbows on top and dropped his head in his hands. "What now?" he muttered, just picturing what his current girlfriend of three years—the one who was priming herself for a proposal, according to their mutual friends—was going to have to say about the situation. "Fuck," he spat through gritted teeth.

Just then, there was a knock at his door. "Dr. Uley, your ten o'clock is here. Exam four."

Without moving, he called out, "Thank you, Nancy."

After a moment of composing himself, he glanced out the window at the grey day. "Off your ass Uley," he grumbled as he rose from his seat. "Time to go see what's next in the _'this is your life'_ shit parade."

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Jake shot to consciousness as the front door slammed, his tired eyes still bleary with too little sleep as his keys hit the center of his chest. "What the fuck?" he mumbled as he caught them on reflex. He blinked a couple more times and scowled at his sister who was busy waddling around throwing things.

"What the hell is your problem now?" he asked her and she whirled on him, twin spots of color blazing on her cheeks.

"That new doctor is an asshole, that's my problem. As soon as he found out I didn't have insurance and couldn't afford care, he refused to be my doctor!"

Jake frowned. "Can he do that? I mean, legally? It's the rez clinic, they usually accept everyone, no matter what."

She threw up her hands. "I don't know!"

"Did they throw you out after that or something?"

She slumped into a chair. "No, after he left the room, Sue Clearwater came in and took over. Said she would be my primary caregiver and deliver the baby when it's time."

Jake relaxed, just barely resisting an eye roll. "So, you did get care, just not from him."

"Yeah," she grumbled with a dark look.

He shook his head. "Well, what's the big deal? Maybe he thought you'd be more comfortable with a woman. He's not an OB doctor, ya know? He'd probably rather not have to deal with babies and shit if he doesn't have to, whereas Sue's used to the shit."

She glared. "Why you defending him?"

Jake shrugged and scratched at an inky brow with a thumbnail. "I'm not really. Just pointing out what you may have missed in your little tizzy. Besides, I've met him and he seems like a decent guy."

"Whatever…"

Jake snorted and looked over at Angela who'd watched all this with wide eyes. He grinned. "You okay there Ang?"

Her brows rose. "Yeah, fine."

He laughed and she smiled and shook her head. Then he looked back at his sister. "You get signed up for public assistance?"

She rolled her eyes. "Yes, Jake, early this morning before going to the clinic."

"Good, what'd they say?"

"It'll be two weeks before I see the first check and they gave me a very short list of houses to check out here on the rez. A couple of them are supposed to be furnished."

He yawned and nodded. "Good, choose one of those."

"Yes master," she sneered.

He shrugged. "If you think you're getting to me, think again. I give zero fucks, dear sister." He looked at her pointedly, making a zero with his index finger and thumb. "Zero, got it?"

She scowled and flipped him off just as Billy rolled into the room. "Good to see you two getting along for once."

Angela jumped up and headed for the kitchen. "Want a late breakfast, Jake?"

"Absolutely," he said while getting to his feet. After a back-cracking stretch, he headed to the bathroom. "I'll be there after I shower and change."

"Okay, it should be ready!" she called while grabbing stuff from the fridge.

Billy rolled into the kitchen and took his usual spot at the table. "Thanks for doing that, Angela."

She shrugged and smiled while whipping eggs for an omelette. "It's the least I can do. You guys are letting me stay here, so I should do my part."

He eyed her for a moment. "You mean a lot to Jake, you know that don't you?"

She paused and looked at Billy. "Yeah, I get that, I really do and I want you to know that I won't hurt him. He's too good for anyone to do that to him, much less me. It's a little soon for me, ya know? But the two of us are trying."

Billy nodded. "That's good enough for me, Angela. He's had a lot to deal with in his life and I just don't want to see him get hurt. Not like that."

She went back to cooking and nodded. "I understand." She flipped some bacon in a pan and glanced over her shoulder. "You hungry?"

Billy grinned while unfolding the paper. "I could eat."

She nodded and cracked more eggs into the bowl. "You got it."

While Angela finished up cooking, Rachel wandered in and sat at the table, looking glum. Billy watched from the corner of his eye for a moment before folding the paper. "What's going on Rachel? Why do you look so upset?"

She shrugged a shoulder as Billy reached for the coffee carafe and filled his cup. "It was just weird at the clinic this morning. The doctor was typical—gorgeous but typical—until he looked at me, and then it seemed like he couldn't get out of there fast enough."

Billy's gaze narrowed on his daughter. "He was okay until he looked at you? Did he actually look in your eyes?"

She eyed him curiously with a creased brow. "Well, he was reading my file and asking questions, and then I told him I didn't have insurance and couldn't afford care before now. He looked up then and yeah, he looked me in the eyes…" She chewed her lip in thought. "He just sat there staring at me for a bit—well, we stared at each other, really—until the nurse said something and after that, he left the room and didn't come back. Sue came in after that and took over."

Billy looked down, his mind whirling. Could Lucas Uley have…? It was sure as hell worth looking into, but until he did, he'd be keeping his suspicions to himself.

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Bella stretched and rolled over, a frown tugging her lips as she realized Paul wasn't there with her.

Opening her eyes, she lifted her head and squinted around the low-lit room before dropping her head back to the pillow with a huff. He wasn't anywhere in the room either. "Guess it's time to get up," she mumbled before sitting up and doing just that.

Slipping on her shirt and sleep pants, she grabbed her bag and headed for the guest bathroom down the hall, intent on taking a hot shower.

She'd be glad to get back home, she thought as she brushed her teeth while staring into the mirror. As fond as she'd grown of Sam and Emily and the rest of the pack, she was ready to put the room where Paul had almost died, well behind her.

She'd just closed the shower curtain and stepped under the beating, hot spray when she heard the door open and close and she couldn't stop the smile that curved her lips, especially when she felt strong arms wrap her from behind.

Warm lips settled against the sensitive skin of her shoulder and she hummed while leaning into his embrace. "Good morning, beautiful," he murmured as his hands began to roam, one cupping her breast as the other moved down to tease her folds.

She laughed lightly. "You're insatiable."

"Only with you, baby," he growled while grinding his hard cock against her ass while circling her slick bud with skillful, practiced fingers.

Leaning her head back on his shoulder, she lost herself to his attentions, moaning low in her throat as the tension rapidly built within her. "Paul…" she drawled, her eyes closing as her hands gripped his lean hips. "Oh fuck…"

He chuckled darkly while bringing her to completion with two long fingers buried deep inside her. "That's it," he whispered as she panted and rode out the waves of her orgasm, holding her up with an arm around her waist as she sagged against him.

When she'd recovered, she turned in his arms and pulled him down into a kiss as he lifted her to straddle his waist. "Want you," she murmured into his mouth before catching his bottom lip between her teeth, drawing a low growl from him as he positioned himself.

Drawing back his hips, he plunged into her in one powerful thrust and she cried out, throwing her head back as she clutched his shoulders.

She could never—would never—get enough of feeling him—the delicious stretch, the feeling of being perfectly filled—and those were just the physical aspects.

"Hold on to me, B," he ground out while bracing one hand on the tiles by her head. "Don't let go, baby."

She panted and shook her head, her eyes searching his as he held her up with one hand under her ass while stroking into her, his pace slow but powerful as he grunted through clenched teeth with every thrust.

Had her mind not been fogged by lust and pleasure, she would've been appalled at the noises she made. As it was—with his body perfectly mastering hers—she really didn't give a shit, especially when he looked at her through inky lashed, hooded hazel/amber eyes with a cocky smirk curving his lips.

"Come for me, Bella. I wanna feel that sweet, tight pussy grip me," he growled while slamming into her, the silky head of his thick, rock-hard cock hitting that special place deep inside her every time.

She moaned and looked down between them as her fingers dug into his shoulders. Just the sight of his cut muscles flexing under warm, russet skin as he fucked her would have been enough to send her over but then her gaze moved farther down to where they were joined.

With blunt white teeth, she bit her lip and watched his cock, hard and glistening slick with her essence as it disappeared into her over and over again…

Her inner muscles gripped him and she fisted his wet hair, pulling him into a heated, open-mouthed kiss, devouring the taste of him as their tongues stroked and played together, as their teeth nipped and lips sucked while sweet, panted breaths were exchanged…

With eyes clenched tightly shut, she cried out against his warm lips as she came, her inner walls pulsing powerfully enough to milk his completion from him just moments later.

"Bella," he breathed, his forehead resting on her shoulder as he recovered.

She kissed his neck, her fingers carding through the soaked strands of his hair as the warm water continued to rain down on them. "You," she said as a bright smile lit her face, "are fucking amazing."

He looked up at her as a breathless laugh escape him, his eyes bright with familiar cocky amusement. "It's a burden I gladly bear, Shorty."

She kissed him and murmured against his smiling lips, "You're an arrogant ass, Paul Lahote, but I love you anyway."

He drew back and met her gaze, his eyes searching hers for a long moment. "Let's get outta here, Shorty."

"Okay," she agreed. "But what's the plan then?"

"The plan?" he asked and she nodded.

He kissed her deeply and backed off as his fingers traced the side of her face. "The plan is to make you mine in every way, B." He grinned and pecked her lips as her eyes went wide. "Today, fuck everyone and everything else..." He kissed her again before locking his gaze with hers.

"Because today, B...I'm gonna marry my girl."

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**Your thoughts?**

**Please review!**

**'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	39. Chapter 39

_Previously:_

_"Okay," she agreed. "What's the plan then?"_

_"The plan?" he asked and she nodded._

_He kissed her deeply and backed off as his fingers traced the side of her face. "The plan is to make you mine in every way, B." He grinned and pecked her lips as her eyes went wide. "Today, I'm gonna marry my girl."_

**Chapter 39**

**A/N: Okay, so obviously, I did a bang up job with Paul's proposal of marriage back in chapter 27 as it seems that no one remembered it. *sigh* But yeah, it happened folks and she accepted, so the end of last chapter wasn't nearly as shocking to Bella as it was to all of you. /smile**

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Bella eyed Paul as he drove. He was looking uncharacteristically nervous; his fingers tapping out a rhythm on the top of the wheel as he gazed up the winding road.

"You okay?" she finally asked and his hand squeezed hers as he glanced at her before looking up the road again.

"Of course," he scoffed.

Her brows inched up and she smirked. "Sure," she drew out, "that's why your hand's all sweaty, you're fidgety, and you can't seem to look at me."

He yanked said hand from hers and wiped it on his jeans. "I'm fine."

She chuckled. "Uh huh, whatever you say."

He scowled and ran a hand over his hair.

"Look," she said with a sigh. "We can put this off until after the baby's born and this war is over…"

"No!" He looked at her and his tone softened as he took her hand again. "No, I love you and I don't wanna wait."

He slowed and pulled into the Forks Police Department complex where he parked and turned off the truck before turning in his seat to face her. "I know this isn't gonna be a fancy wedding. I mean, it's just gonna be us, your Dad, my Mom, Rudy and Leah in there, but I promise, I swear, when all this shit's over, we'll have a formal wedding, one that you deserve…but I guess, if you wanna wait…"

She placed two fingers against his lips to stop his rambling. "Shh, it's okay." She cupped his cheek, her eyes searching his as she smiled softly. "To tell the truth, I think I kinda prefer this."

"You do?"

She nodded and looked down at their clasped hands. "You should know me by now. I'm not exactly one for pomp and circumstance." She glanced up with a smile and he nodded. "I think the only thing I would change is having Renee here…" She looked back down. "I would've liked that…"

He pulled her into his lap and held her close, his fingers carding her hair. "I thought of that, but with all the shit going on here, I didn't think it would be a good idea to drag her and Phil into it just in case something went down while they were here."

She nodded against his chest. "I see your point, and like you said, we can have a more formal wedding after everything's said and done…" She looked up at him. "Maybe this summer? On the beach?"

His brows inched up. "After the baby…or…?"

She frowned and rubbed a hand over the gentle swell of her belly. "Definitely after the baby's here. I wanna stay as far away from the perception of a shot gun wedding as we can, thanks."

He smirked and glanced over at the Police Station before looking back at her. "No, that's today," he said with a snicker as Charlie walked out the door and crossed his arms as he gazed at them, the badge on his chest glinting in the rare Forks sunlight.

She looked at her rather impatient looking father and chuckled. "He's only wearing his side-arm, Lahote. No shot gun in sight."

"It's enough for me, Swan, especially with that expression on his face," he said as he opened his door and helped her out.

He closed the truck door and she circled her arms around his neck and pulled him down into a kiss. "Let's go make an honest man outta you," she murmured with a teasing smile when the kiss had ended.

He breathed out a nervous laugh, straightened and took her hand. "Fuck, yeah, okay, let's do this."

A smirking Charlie held the door open for them and they entered, Paul's gaze darting around the familiar office as Bella hugged her father. "Hi Dad."

"Kiddo," he greeted, returning her hug while pinning a pale looking Paul with an amused gaze.

"Paul," he greeted as Bella drew back to stand with her fiancé.

"Char…Charlie," the poor kid finally managed to return. He would deny the way his voice cracked till his dying day, especially when he spied his smirking brother standing with his viciously grinning mate just a few feet away. The pair quietly laughed as he flipped them off behind his back as he passed them.

"The Justice of the Peace office is just down this hall," Charlie commented as he led the way.

"Is Mom already in there?" Paul asked and Charlie chuckled.

"She was here probably ten minutes after getting your call this morning, kid."

He nodded and glanced at his brother as Charlie opened the door to a rather imposing looking office. "You got the rings?" he murmured.

Rudy pulled a box from his pocket. "Right here, baby bro."

He took a deep breath and blew it out as they all filed into the office. "Good."

Rudy grinned. "You gonna be okay, man? You look a little sickly." Leah snickered and Paul narrowed his eyes at them.

"I'm fine," he snapped, gripping Bella's hand as she rubbed his bicep.

"We don't have to…" she began, her brown eyes searching his tense features. He gave her a tight smile.

"No baby, we're doing this," he said as Charlie spoke lowly with what he assumed was a secretary. The woman looked up at them with a bright smile.

"Mr. Lahote, Miss Swan, if you could step forward and sign these documents, I'll take you to the Judge."

They stepped forward and read the documents together before signing. "All right then," the woman chirped while walking toward a heavy wood door. She knocked and opened it, stepping to the side with that same wide smile on her face. "You're all set."

They walked in and before Paul could register, his mother had him gripped in a tight hug. "My baby's getting married!"

He breathed out a laugh. "Mom," he said before leaning down to kiss her cheek. She drew back and pulled Bella into a careful hug.

"Hi sweetie."

"Hi Lisa, thank you for being here."

Lisa drew back, tears sparkling in her eyes as her gaze locked with Bella's. "Are you kidding? Today, my son is marrying his soul mate! I wouldn't miss this for the world."

The Judge cleared his throat and smiled. "If the bride and groom would step forward, we can get started."

Bella felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to Leah who handed her a bouquet. "Just thought you should have one," she said with a shrug before stepping back.

"Thanks Leah," Bella said with a smile before turning back to face the Judge.

"We are here today to join this man and this woman in matrimony." He looked at Paul. "Paul Allen Lahote, do you take Isabella Marie Swan to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold until death do you part?"

"I do," Paul stated clearly, his hand gripping Bella's as he stared into her eyes. She squeezed his hand and smiled.

"Isabella Marie Swan, do you take Paul Allen Lahote to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold until death do you part?"

Tears misted her eyes as she smiled up at him. "I do," she said with surety.

"Do you have rings to exchange?" the Judge asked.

Paul nodded. "Yeah, we do," he said as Rudy stepped forward, handing Bella's ring to Paul and Paul's to Bella after she handed her bouquet to Leah.

"Face each other please and exchange rings."

With shaking hands, Bella slid the platinum band on Paul's finger as she whispered, "Forever."

He took her hand, his eyes bright and a soft smile curving his lips as he slid a matching band on her finger before cupping her face. "In this world and the next," he vowed before leaning down to kiss her.

Two tears rolled down her cheeks as his warm lips caressed hers and she whispered a quiet "I love you" as he rested his forehead against hers for a moment.

Bella vaguely registered the sound of pictures being taken before the Judge spoke.

"With the power vested in me by the great state of Washington, I now pronounce you husband and wife," the amused Judge said, breaking their moment. They quickly parted and a blush flushed Bella's cheeks as the Judge chuckled. "Since you've already taken care of the kiss, we're done here. Congratulations you two, and I wish you joy."

They grinned at each other, both a bit stunned until Lisa pulled Bella into a crushing hug as Charlie gripped Paul's shoulder. "Take good care of my daughter," he said before shocking Paul by pulling him into a firm hug. "I'm proud of you kid," the man murmured before letting him go.

Paul's voice was suspiciously choked as he answered, "I will Charlie, and thanks…for everything."

Charlie blinked away the mist in his own eyes and nodded sharply before Rudy grabbed Paul's hand and pulled him into a one armed man hug, a huge grin on his face as he stepped back. "You did it, man. Officially off the market. Holy shit, didn't think I'd ever see the day my playa' brother settled down."

Paul huffed a laugh. "Guess I'll pass the mantle to you, big brother."

Leah grabbed Rudy's arm and smirked as she narrowed her eyes at Paul. "I don't think so, Lahote. Not if he knows what's good for him."

Rudy puffed out his chest. "She loves me, even if she doesn't wanna admit it yet."

"Witnesses, please stop at my desk and sign these documents before leaving!" the secretary called out over the well wishes as they made their way out of the Judge's office.

Leah finished signing and held out the bouquet to Bella as Rudy signed. "Want this back?"

Bella smirked and hugged Paul's arm. "Nope," she quipped. "It's all yours. Just pretend I threw it because you're next." She swallowed a chuckle as Rudy paled and the newly-weds followed Charlie and Lisa out into the main part of the Police Station where the staff greeted them with whistles, applause, and smiles.

Bella blushed and waved. "Thanks everyone," she said before hastily dragging Paul outside as he laughed at her.

She tried to scowl at him but didn't quite manage it. "You seem to have recovered from your case of nerves."

He shrugged a shoulder as Charlie, Lisa, Rudy and Leah followed them out to where they were parked. "It wasn't so bad."

Charlie smirked. "You looked like you were walking to your execution, kid." They stopped and he dangled a set of keys at Paul who took them with a creased brow.

"What's this for?"

Charlie cleared his throat. "Well, Lisa and I talked it over. You two are gonna need your own place, what with the baby coming and everything, so we decided you should have the old place here in Forks."

Paul glanced at Bella, whose eyes had gone wide.

"We've been working on it for a while now, with help from most of the pack," Lisa added with a smile. "It's all set up for you. We hope you like it."

"You're giving us the house?!" Bella asked as Charlie pulled Lisa close.

"Yep, and I don't wanna hear any protests, unless, you know, you don't wanna live there for some reason. I don't wanna force you or anything, but if you want it, it's yours."

"Oh my God, Dad, this is…I don't know what to say." She wrapped her arms around him and he hugged her tightly.

"I love you, kiddo. I love you both, so let your old man do this for you, all right?"

She sniffled and wiped away some tears as she backed away with a nod. "Thanks Dad."

"What are you waiting for?" he asked, his voice gruff as he looked at Paul. "Take your wife home. We'll see you both at dinner tomorrow. Our place."

With a nod, Paul helped Bella into his truck, started it up and pulled out, still in a bit of a daze as he drove to the familiar house. Or at least, he thought it was familiar…

"Oh my god, look at it," Bella breathed as Paul pulled into the gravel drive and parked. The house, while still the same colors, had been completely renovated on the outside. She'd never seen it looking so bright and fresh. "It's beautiful."

"It is," he agreed while helping her out of the truck. They walked up to the front door and he unlocked it before sweeping her up in his arms as she yelped a laugh.

"What are you doing?!"

He smirked down at her as he shouldered the door open and stepped in. "Carrying my bride over the threshold. Just because we skipped the big wedding doesn't mean all traditions are out, Shorty."

He set her on her feet and closed the door as she walked in, her mouth hanging open as she took in the interior. The whole thing had been redone—fresh paint, flooring, drapes and furniture, all new and looking like a model house. "Paul," she breathed before looking at him. "How did they afford this?"

"I don't know, but it's amazing, even if it does faintly stink like some bloodsuckers we know."

She looked at him. "Really? So the Cullens helped too then…I'll have to thank them.

She walked over to a side table where a champagne gift basket sat, reading the tag as tears blurred her vision. "Renee," she said, waving the tiny card as Paul wrapped his arms around her. "She sends her love to us both and regrets not being here…not that we gave her enough of a heads up for her to make it."

"I'm sorry," he murmured while placing a soft kiss on her neck. She turned in his arms and kissed him.

"It's okay. Like you said, we'll have a more formal wedding later."

His fingers traced the side of her face and she leaned into his touch. "Do you wanna see the rest of the house?" he asked and she shook her head.

"No, there's time for that later."

"Yeah? So, what should we do with all this privacy and free time, Mrs. Lahote?"

"Let's go christen the new bedroom, husband."

He smiled and lifted her into his arms in one smooth move. "Sounds like a plan, wife."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Charlie smirked as he opened the door to his ruffled looking daughter and son-in-law the next day. As they walked in, he glanced at his watch. "You're almost late."

"Bella's fault, Charlie," Paul commented while deftly dodging the slap Bella aimed at his shoulder. "I swear, I barely escaped her clutches," he continued with a laugh as Bella glowered at him. "She's relentless."

Charlie frowned. "Do me a favor son, never speak of such things again, joking or otherwise. There are just some things a father doesn't want to know."

They all walked into the kitchen and Bella hugged Lisa. "The house is amazing and as much as I love my Dad, I know he didn't do the inside, so thank you."

Lisa laughed as Charlie grabbed a beer and took a seat at the table. "Hey, I helped," he protested and Lisa kissed his cheek.

"He did Bella. He grunted approval when I asked about certain color schemes and fabrics. He was instrumental and I couldn't have done it without him."

Charlie saluted with his beer. "You're welcome."

Paul grabbed a beer from the fridge and started to sit down at the table but froze, looking expectantly at his mother as she held up a finger. "Paul, baby, before you get comfortable…" He groaned, hung his head, and put the beer back in the fridge as she continued, "could you run to the market for me? I forgot to get a loaf of french bread and I could use more butter too. I thought I had plenty but Rudy got to it. I think he used it for that last catering job he had, the little shit."

He dug his keys out of his pocket. "Bread and butter…anything else?"

She patted his cheek. "No sweetie, that's it. Thank you."

He gave Bella a quick kiss and headed for the door just as Rudy and Leah were walking in. "Come on fucker, you're going with me since you used all the butter."

Rudy's brows shot up as Paul dragged him out the door while Leah rolled her eyes, waved and closed it. "Okay?" he said while climbing into the passenger side of the Paul's truck. "So, how was the wedding night?" he asked with a grin which Paul returned as he pulled out onto the road.

"It was fuckin' amazing, of course, but that's all you're getting."

"You're no fun any more," Rudy pouted.

"Yeah?" Paul commented with a glance. "That's because Bella'd have my balls if she heard I was dishing details. Besides, it's different now. She's my wife, not some random piece of ass I'm banging for the weekend."

Rudy shrugged. "I see your point. Still, can't help but miss the good ol' days…" he said with a sigh as Paul snorted.

"I'm happy now."

Rudy shot him a genuine smile. "That's good bro. I'm glad to hear it."

"What about you?" Paul asked.

"Me? Never been better. Leah…jesus dude…she does this thing with her tongue and I swear, my fucking eyes cross every time. The woman is talented…and I'm pretty sure I love her."

"No shit?"

"No shit."

"Wow, that's great bro…as long as she feels the same."

Rudy nodded. "I'm pretty sure she does."

"Good, 'cause I don't wanna see you get fucked over."

"She's my imprint and I'm hers. Pretty sure that puts us in the safe zone."

Paul frowned and glanced at his brother. "Don't get cocky. It's not like you're guaranteed everlasting bliss. Either one of you can fuck it up, so just…be careful."

Rudy frowned. "I will, but what's up? Something going on? I mean, you just got married, and there's a kid on the way… Why the gloomy outlook, bro?"

Paul's fingers tapped the wheel. "I don't know. I just have this feeling…like waiting on the other shoe to drop, ya know? It just seems like every time I think things are looking up, something comes along to fuck it up." He glanced over. "The story of my life, ya know? I guess it's just hard to accept being truly happy for once."

Rudy studied his brother for a moment. "You're married to the love of your life." Paul nodded. "And the kid's healthy? Nothing's wrong there, right?"

"All the tests are good, Bella's healthy, the baby's healthy and growing, it's all good," he answered.

"Now you guys have a house of your own, free and clear and you have a decent paying job with Sam's construction company, so finances aren't a worry."

Paul nodded and pulled into the grocery store parking lot. "All true," he admitted as he parked and shut off the engine.

"So pull the stick outta your ass and relax. We have one more group of vamp asses to kick and then we're home free. You don't even have to worry about being bitten anymore since you're immune, and if the docs are successful with this vaccine they're cooking up, the rest of us will be too. It'll be a piece of cake at that point, so quit worrying, little bro. We're golden. We got this."

Paul smiled. "You're right. Let's go get this shit and get home. I'm fucking hungry."

They both hopped out of the truck and went into the store. "We're looking for french bread and butter," Paul said. "You're the foodie, so lead on."

"And you're a married man with a kid on the way, so you better learn your way around the market."

Paul groaned. "Let me live in my ignorant bliss for a while longer, okay?"

Rudy smirked. "Okay, but don't say I didn't warn you when you're searching every aisle for pickles at three in the morning."

Paul looked at him in horror. "Are they even open at three in the morning?!"

Rudy snickered. "You better hope so."

They walked up to the refrigerated case and Rudy was choosing the butter when Paul bumped into a dark haired woman's cart. "Sorry," he muttered while moving out of the way.

"No, that's okay…" she began before cutting herself off with a hitched breath. "Paul? Paul Lahote?" she said and then he looked at her with drawn brows.

She was vaguely familiar but he couldn't put a name to the face of the obviously pregnant woman.

Rudy turned and glanced between them, his brows inching up as the woman stared at his brother before recovering enough to speak.

"You don't remember me, do you?" she asked as realization dawned and her expression darkened.

Paul quirked a brow. "Should I?"

Her eyes narrowed. "My name's Rachel—Rachel Black."

Paul looked relieved. "Chief Black's daughter?"

"Yes," she snapped, "but that's not where you know me from."

Paul's expression turned to stone. "And…so?"

She sneered and Rudy's eyes went a bit wide. "Men," she spat. "You're all a bunch of fucking assholes."

Paul sneered right back. "Yeah, okay, and you're obviously a bitter bitch with major issues. Let's go, bro." He started to step around her but she grabbed his arm.

"How about almost nine months ago," she hissed. "There was a party in Seattle. You were there along with a bunch of your team mates after a game, all of you drunk off your asses. Ringing any bells yet?"

"No, it's not. There were a lot of parties at the end of my senior year, sweetheart, and none of them particularly memorable." He shook her hand off and took a few steps before her next words froze him in his tracks.

"We slept together, Lahote and this…" she motioned to her protruding belly, "This is your baby I'm carrying."

**Your thoughts?**

**Please review.**

**'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	40. Chapter 40

_Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and any original characters therein. No copyright infringement intended._

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_Previously:_

_"No, it's not. There were a lot of parties at the end of my senior year, sweetheart, and none of them particularly memorable." He shook her hand off and took a few steps before her next words froze him in his tracks._

_"We slept together, Lahote and this…" she motioned to her protruding belly, "This is your baby I'm carrying."_

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**Chapter 40**

Heat swept through his body before pooling in his gut as icy dread seemed to take its place in his veins. It was a strange sensation and it made him a little light-headed.

None of this showed, however, as he stared at the smug looking bitch who'd just dropped a virtual bomb in the middle of his world and the longer she held his gaze, the more his fingers itched to wrap her delicate looking throat.

Jesus, he'd never felt the urge to harm another human being so strongly in his life.

No, he knew that to be a lie almost as soon as the thought entered his mind. He _had_ felt such an urge—the night he'd killed Jimmy Lahote—and it was that realization that terrified him enough to break him out of his frozen stupor and quiet, spiraling rage.

She was a woman, after all and a pregnant one at that, and he wasn't gonna be _that_ kind of man, even if she was a caustic bitch with a lying tongue.

His gaze cut from her haughty face down to her swollen belly and he stepped forward, his surprisingly steady hand settling over the swell as he searched deep within himself for some connection—_any_ connection—he might have with the tiny, innocent being inside her.

There was none, even as the little one rolled and kicked against the heat of his palm. He felt relieved, but curiously, along with that relief came an ache of sorrow for the little one and Paul didn't quite know how to deal with that, or even if he should.

It wasn't the first kid in this world to go through such a situation in life and it certainly wouldn't be the last, and Paul had his own child coming into the world very soon to think about.

"Rachel, did you find everything on the list? Oh, hey Paul, I didn't realize you two knew each other." Billy eyed Paul's hand on his daughter's belly until Paul snatched it away and backed off.

"We don't really," Paul denied. "She claims we met at a party a few months back, but if we did, I don't really remember it."

Billy rolled closer and chuckled. "One of those parties, eh? Ah, youth. I remember those days…me and Charlie had a few ourselves," he finished with a smirk. "By the way, I hear you and Bella finally tied the knot yesterday. Congratulations, I wish you both the best."

"Thanks Chief. I'll tell Bella you said so." His gaze cut to his brother and Rudy nodded. "We need to get home. We're late as it is. See you later." He and Rudy began striding away but they both heard Rachel as she sent her parting shot.

"We're not done, Lahote!"

Paul looked at his brother. "Don't forget the bread," he said stiffly. "I'll be in the truck."

"Yeah man, I'll be right out."

Minutes later, Rudy came out and tossed the bag on the seat as he got in. "You okay?" he asked with a wary look on his face.

Paul chuckled bitterly and arched a brow. "You're seriously asking me that?" he said while starting the truck and peeling out.

He looked over at Rudy after they were on the road. "That kid's not mine, bro. I felt nothing from it and besides, I was _always_ careful. I always wrapped it, man, always. I don't care how fucking drunk I got. If I was lucid enough to get it up, I was lucid enough to wrap it."

Rudy ran a hand through his hair. "That doesn't stop her from insisting you knocked her up, bro."

Paul growled, his eyes flashing brilliant amber as his hands tightened on the wheel. "Yeah, I realize that."

"So, what are ya gonna do? There's no way B won't hear about this. Is it possible you slept with her?"

Paul snorted. "She's hot, so yeah, it's possible I fucked her, but I'm _not_ that kid's father."

"Are you gonna tell B?"

"Yeah, I'm gonna tell her."

"Fuck, this is gonna tear her apart."

Paul glanced over. "I was honest with her when we got together, bro. I _told_ her what I was like with women and if anything happened with Black, it happened _before_ I went to Arizona for the summer—before I ever met her. Bella's fair. I think she'll understand." He flipped the blinker on and made the turn into his mother's driveway. "At least, I hope like hell she will."

Dinner was a tense affair, though only the two brothers knew why that was. Still, it seemed everyone was more than relieved when Paul announced he and Bella were going to head home.

Bella was just saying goodbye to Charlie as Lisa kissed her son's cheek before staring into his eyes. "Whatever this is, son, whatever happened, I know I raised you well enough to deal with it like a gentleman," she murmured quietly. He nodded, using his mother's words to steel himself against the coming conversation.

"I will."

Her eyes searched his for a moment. "Good," she said with a pat to his chest. "I love you and I'm here for you."

The corner of his mouth curled into a smile. "I know."

Bella slipped into her jacket and they walked to his truck and got in silently. She didn't break the silence until they were well on their way to Forks. "Are you gonna talk about it?" she asked while playing with the bracelet on her wrist. It was warm and the jeweled eyes on the wolf were glowing and she knew, she just _knew_, there was something really wrong going on inside him. She looked over and met his eyes.

"Yeah, when we get home."

She nodded, feeling cold dread settle in her gut at the look in his eyes. "Okay."

Paul parked in their driveway and she hopped out and smiled at the howl she heard in the distance, taking it for the greeting it was as Paul unlocked the door and stepped aside for her to enter.

"I'm gonna go change," she said, heading for the stairs. "I'll be back down in a few."

He nodded, but she missed it as she climbed to the second floor and entered their bedroom.

With a heavy sigh, Paul hung his jacket by the door and decided to build a fire.

By the time Bella came back down, freshly changed into sleep pants and her hair up in a ponytail, the fire was crackling and all the lights were off, save a small night light in the kitchen. Paul was sitting on the sofa, facing the fire, his head hung as he stared into the flames and a bottle of beer held loosely between the fingers of one hand. "Hey," she said as she sat next to him, one leg folded under her as she faced him.

He raised his head and smiled wanly. "Hey, Shorty."

She laid her hand along the nape of his neck, toying with his hair for a moment before speaking. "So, what's this about? What happened after you left your Mom's?"

He turned his face to stare into the fire, the flames casting flickering light that caught his uniquely colored eyes, making them seem even more otherworldly that they already were. "I ran into someone at the store. I vaguely recognized her, but didn't remember her name. She apparently knew me though." He looked back at Bella. "Her name's Rachel Black."

Bella's brows inched up. "Billy's daughter?"

He nodded. "Yeah. That's the one." He looked back at her. "You know she's pregnant?"

Bella blinked. "Yeah," she drew out, "I'd heard, mainly from Jake bitching about the whole situation because she showed up after so long with no contact with her family. Seems he's pissed because he feels she's burdening them with everything when she hasn't even said who the father of her kid is."

She watched as the hand he had resting on his thigh clenched into a fist. "Yeah, about that," he said and her heart wrenched painfully before speeding in her chest.

_'Oh god, no…'_ she thought.

He looked over, his eyes full of pained regret and anger. "There's just no easy way to say this…" he ground out through clenched teeth as the anger and tension mounted in his body. "She claims I'm the father, Bella."

"What?" she whispered, feeling light-headed all of the sudden. She hung her head and rubbed at her forehead, resting her head in her hand as she eventually found her voice again. "Are you?" She looked up, locking her gaze with his flashing amber eyes.

"No. There's no way. I tried to feel something from the kid and there was nothing—no connection—and I can _feel_ our baby, Bella. I feel and connect with her in my soul, but that kid was just a…void."

Her lips thinned. "Did you fuck her?" Her tone was shockingly bitter, even to her own ears, but she couldn't help it. Just the thought of him, her one and only, the man she loved more than life and breath, doing that with Jacob Black's sister… Her stomach churned and she fought the rising bile that crept up her throat.

"I don't know, she claims I was drunk," he murmured and she closed her eyes as a tear rolled down her cheek.

"But if I did, it was _before_ we ever met—before I left for Arizona, Bella, and I was _honest_ with you, remember? I told you how I was before we got together. I was honest." He tried not to sound desperate, but knew he failed. Still, even if she made him beg, it was worth it—she was worth that and more and he'd do whatever it would take to not lose her. He couldn't lose her. It would fucking kill him because she was everything to him.

_Everything._

"If you can't remember, then it's possible…"

"No!" he growled, throwing his beer into the fireplace with such force that it fairly exploded causing Bella to jump. "It's not possible!" he continued before looking at her. "I was always safe, B. Always. You're the first girl I ever slept with where I didn't use a condom."

"You were drunk…"

"If I was aware enough to get it up, I was aware enough to use a condom, Bella." He shot to his feet and leaned against the mantle. "That's not my fucking kid!"

Bella covered her face with shaking hands, her tears now coming hot and fast as the stress of the situation finally got to her.

He turned and pain laced through him at the sight of her. "Baby," he said as he knelt in front of her, wrapping his arms around her waist as his head rested in her lap. "Please," he begged, "you have to believe me. I love you and can't lose you. Please, believe me…"

She choked back a sob, her hands hovering over his bent head before settling to run through his silky, black hair. "Oh god, Paul… This hurts. It just hurts _so damn much…"_

He tightened his hold, his hands fisting the back of her shirt as he clung to her. "I know," he said before looking into her eyes, his own sparkling wet with tears. "If I could go back and change things, I would, but I can't. But Bella, I _know_ it isn't my kid."

She looked away for a moment and he laid his head back in her lap as her hands absently stroked through his hair. "All right," she said, her voice full of inner strength and resolve. "Here's what we're gonna do." He looked up at her and she cupped his face. "We're going to face this with quiet dignity, together. And if she keeps insisting the baby's yours, we'll demand a paternity test when it's born. If it is…" she covered his lips with a finger when he started to speak. "If it _is_ yours, then we deal with that when the time comes. Until then, we avoid her and keep quiet about the whole thing unless the tribal council gets involved."

He nodded. "Okay."

"And Paul, I realize this all happened before we ever met, but this still hurts more than I can say."

"I'm sorry," he choked out miserably.

"I know, I can feel what you're feeling," she said while tracing his temple with her fingers. "Still, I think I need some space, at least for tonight, so you sleep on the couch." She stood up and bent to kiss his cheek. "I love you more than life and I'll see you in the morning."

With that, she slowly climbed the stairs and closed their bedroom door behind her, leaving him to the lonely couch, a dying fire, and his thoughts.

**Your thoughts?**

**Please review.**

**'Till next time, ~Spudz**

**P.S. To Anon, ballsy individual that you are, if you think you caused even a ripple in my pond of giving a fuck, think again sweets. LOL See ya!**


	41. Chapter 41

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and any original characters therein. No copyright infringement intended.

A/N: Hi guys. I got new glasses yesterday. They're those progressive lenses and so far, they're a bitch getting used to so I find myself squinting at the damn screen more often than not. In short, if there are more mistakes than usual, that's probably why. I don't have a beta. Never have, so it's all on me and my less than stellar eye sight. Hope the chapter is enjoyable. Love and light, ~Spudz

P.S. Loads of love to those who've reviewed. You guys rock. Seriously.

Wolf mind speak is in _**bold italics.**_

_**. **_

_**Listened to this song for the last part of this chapter:**_

**"God Of Wine"**

By: Third Eye Blind

Every thought that I repent  
There's another chip you haven't spent  
And you're cashing them all in  
Where do we begin to get clean again  
Can we get clean again

.

* * *

.

_Previously:_

_"I know, I can feel what you're feeling," she said while tracing his temple with her fingers. "Still, I think I need some space, at least for tonight, so you sleep on the couch." She stood up and bent to kiss his cheek. "I love you more than life and I'll see you in the morning."_

_With that, she slowly climbed the stairs and closed their bedroom door behind her, leaving him to the lonely couch, a dying fire, and his thoughts._

_._

* * *

_._

**Chapter 41**

Rachel Black allowed herself a rare, secret smile, her dark eyes flashing with malevolent glee as she sat alone in her father's living room, her mind going over her little moment of inspired—though admittedly, impulsive—genius at the grocery store.

_Paul Lahote…_

Her smile grew and she stifled a giggle while curling a lock of raven hair around her finger as she thought of him.

The boy had always been gorgeous, but now, jesus, he was fucking hot. However, that wasn't all that had always attracted her to him. No, he was smart and talented and most of all, _ambitious_—a rare commodity here in La Push where ninety-nine percent of the guys were content to live out their lives as all the generations before them had—in semi-poverty, right here on this godforsaken reservation.

In short, she wanted more than that. It's why she'd left in the first place. And now, with how things had panned out for her so far, it seemed Paul Lahote was gonna be her ticket to that better life, even if she had to screw him over and manipulate him to get it.

Everyone with any connection at all to the reservation knew who he was. He'd been in the local papers enough and even the Seattle TV news station had done a piece on him during his senior year—the brainy baseball pitching prodigy who'd managed to attract quite a few scholarships and awards, not to mention the attention of several major league scouts.

Her lips curved into a smile again just thinking of it. Yes, he was one that was getting the hell out of this place, and like it or not, he was going to take her with him. She'd just have to be careful about how she went about it.

She knew he'd found her attractive before—before this _kid_ made her look like a whale. She hadn't lied about hooking up with him at that party, after all. Yeah, she'd left out the part about him using a condom, but so what? He'd been so drunk, but unlike his team mates, he'd made damn sure to cover his bases, so to speak.

She giggled at her little pun even as she thought it was too bad for him that he couldn't remember any of it. _'All's the better for me,'_ she thought.

She frowned as she thought about what her dad had revealed about Paul getting married, especially to Charlie Swan's scrawny little pale-faced daughter, Bella. That was certainly a complication but she was pretty damn sure the little bitch wouldn't be able to compete with her once this kid was born and she got her body back. She'd just have to watch her weight gain from now on, and work extra hard to firm things up after it was born.

There was just no way he'd resist. She knew what he was like when she'd met him at that party and fucked him and guys like that didn't change overnight, if they changed at all. There was just no way Paul Lahote, well known player extraordinaire, was a one-woman man and that right there was going to be Bella Swan's downfall.

After all, he was going to have a tie with her through _'their'_ child, and to Quileute males, that was a powerful tie. She'd just have to remain adamant about him being the father and avoid any tests.

Being the Chief's daughter, she felt pretty certain she could use that leverage to her advantage if he decided to demand a DNA test, since such a thing would cast doubt on the honor of her family and their word; not something taken lightly by the tribe as a whole. Her father was the Chief, after all. In short, insinuating that she was lying would make Paul seem dishonorable; something that her father could cast him from the tribe for.

She shifted in her chair and giggled again, her secret smile bright as her impromptu plan took shape.

Damn, was she ever glad she'd volunteered to help her dad with the shopping.

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XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

.

Lucas looked up from studying the latest slide under Carlisle's powerful microscope and grinned at the blond vampire. "I think we've done it, doc."

Carlisle smiled back, his outlook more guarded yet no less enthusiastic. "I believe we have," he said, crossing his arms as he leaned against the wall.

"So when do we begin testing?"

Carlisle's smile dropped. "You realize this vaccine will probably make you very sick and the duration will be unknown? Are you prepared for that?"

Lucas's expression became solemn. "I am. The room is prepared at the clinic so all that's left is to let Sam and Sue know before you administer the dose. They're both aware we were getting close, so this shouldn't come as a surprise."

Carlisle nodded. "As you know, I'm on leave from the hospital, so I guess it's entirely up to you when you'd like to begin. You're aware I don't require sleep, so there are no constraints in that area."

Lucas shot Carlisle an amused glare. "Damned useful advantage that is, Doctor."

Carlisle laughed lightly and raised a golden brow. "Yes, well, I paid dearly for that advantage with decades of battling the decided _inconvenience_ of bloodlust, Lucas, so don't feel too slighted."

Lucas paled at the reminder of their glaring differences and nodded. "Touché." He dug his phone from his pocket and held it up, meeting Carlisle's eyes. "Tonight then? You available, or would first thing tomorrow be better?"

Carlisle thought for a moment before answering. Truthfully, he'd like the night to spend with his wife and go on a proper hunt, since he'd been neglecting both lately, plus his potential patient looked exhausted. "First thing tomorrow, I think. I need some family time and you could use a solid night's sleep before subjecting your body to the unknown stress of this vaccine."

"I can't argue with your logic," Lucas agreed with a nod before making the calls to Sam and Sue.

"All right, we're all set," he said after ending the call with Sue. "So, nine tomorrow morning at the clinic? That'll give me time to relax and have breakfast."

Carlisle nodded and patted Lucas's shoulder on his way out the door. "I'll be there, Doctor." After leaving the room, he called back, "No caffeine with that breakfast!"

Lucas groaned and grumbled, "And so it begins…"

The sound of Carlisle's laughter filtered back to him and he gathered his things, turned off lights and headed home.

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XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

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Angela slipped her hand into Jake's as they left the movie theater. "Is this okay?" she asked with a blush when he glanced at her with a smile and a quirked brow.

"It's more than okay," he said, lacing their fingers together as they walked to his car.

Tonight had been their first official date and it had gone well, so far. He'd taken her to dinner at a real, sit-down restaurant and then to the movie and while they'd had a couple of awkward moments, for the most part, conversation and laughter had flowed easily.

She glanced up at him and felt a pang of excitement and, dare she say it, attraction, especially when her gaze settled on his lips. In that moment, she wanted nothing more than to feel those lips on hers…

They arrived at the car and she was still studying his features as Jake faced her, his own eyes flitting over her delicate face and blush hued lips.

He brought his hand up and cupped her cheek, his thumb lightly rubbing over her plump bottom lip. "Can I kiss you, Ang?" he asked, his voice gritty with need as she drew close to his warmth, her hands resting on his chest.

"Please," she breathed as she stared into his dark eyes. His mouth curved into a smile as he leaned down and brushed his lips over hers as his hand slid into her hair to cup the back of her head.

"More," she whispered against his parted lips before leaning up on her toes to deepen the kiss.

He groaned, tilted his head, and obliged her, his tongue darting into her sweet mouth to taste and play as she pressed herself against him.

"Sweet," he murmured while trailing kisses to her jaw and the throbbing pulse of her neck. "So soft and sweet…"

"Jacob," she whispered with a sigh while tilting her head back, her eyes closed as she savored the sensation of warm, parted lips and wet tongue against her skin.

The feel of his hand cupping her breast and the thrill of his thumb brushing her nipple made her breath hitch as her eyes flew open. "Jacob?"

He raised his head, his eyes dark and hooded with lust as he looked at her, his thumb on her nipple still driving her past limits she'd never crossed before as her heart sped. "I—I'm not sure I'm ready…"

He smiled wanly and dropped his hand to her waist. "I'll wait," he said before dropping a chaste, sweet kiss to her lips. "We'll take this at your speed, all right?"

She smiled and ran her fingers through his hair. "Thank you." She looked down for a beat before meeting his eyes again as a blush heated her cheeks. "Maybe when we get home, we can… Well, can we kiss some more?"

He grinned and pulled her snug against his body before placing a soft kiss at the corner of her mouth. "Absolutely. As much as you want, Miss Weber. I'm all yours."

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XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

.

The chill wind and misty ocean spray beat against Paul's body as he stood at the cliff's edge, staring unseeing out over the moonlit waves, his mind completely lost to the turmoil within.

After Bella'd left him to go to their bed alone, he'd locked up the house, made sure one of the pack was nearby and phased.

He'd needed the run; thinking it would relieve the tension, the pain—the pent up rage—within him.

It hadn't.

If anything, his desire for violence was more keen than ever before and so here he stood, naked in the moonlight, his body trembling with everything _but_ the cold, wishing more than anything for a fucking bloodsucker to come along.

"Lahote?"

Without turning, he cocked his head, his hands clenching at his sides. "Now's not a good time, Uley," he ground out.

"Trouble in paradise already?" the other Alpha asked, his tone laced with amusement.

"Leaving me alone would be your safest course of action at the moment. I really don't want to hurt you."

Sam's brows shot up, his alpha instincts bristling at the perceived challenge which he just barely managed to stifle. "Okay," he conceded, "we'll talk later."

A quiet snarl was his only answer and he walked away, shaking his head. He didn't get far however, when a distressed howl sliced through the sounds of wind and crashing waves and he tensed at the sight of Paul, who'd turned and was now staring off into the thick forest with a feral grin that was chilling, even to him.

Flashing amber eyes locked with his and Paul growled out, "This one's all mine. Don't get in my way," before phasing.

"Fuck," he muttered before phasing and tearing off after the silver wolf, knowing there was no way he'd catch up.

_**"Jared, what's going on?"**_

_**"Caught a fresh scent up here at the northern border, boss. Embry's with me. We're chasing it down now."**_

He was just about to answer when Paul's voice cut in. _**"I'm on it. There's only one and it's mine so back the fuck off."**_

_**"Boss?"**_ Jared questioned, sounding tentative. Paul was an Alpha, sure, but he wasn't _their_ Alpha.

Sam snarled at the situation. _**"Fall back a bit, but keep the leech in your sights. Don't engage unless Lahote's in obvious trouble."**_

_**"You got it."**_

It didn't take long for Paul to pick up the trail of this new leech and when he did, he poured on the speed, the dark forest landscape nothing but a blur as he narrowed the gap between him and his fleeing target.

This—the hunt, the chase, the _kill_—was what he needed, and nothing was going to get in his way.

_'Hello fucker,'_ he thought as he spied the darkly cloaked leech bounding through the trees just ahead.

The leech glanced back, red eyes going wide as the silent silver wolf steadily closed the distance between them. "Fanculo!" the leech spat and Paul chuckled mentally, knowing enough Italiano to recognize an expletive when he heard it.

_'That's right fucker, you picked the wrong place and time for a midnight stroll.'_

In a last desperate bid for freedom, the vampire lunged for a tree branch but Paul was ready for that and launched his sleek body right after the panicking bloodsucker, his jaws closing neatly on one of his legs to drag him back down to the forest bed.

A scream tore from the vampire's throat as Paul bit down and wrenched his lower leg off with a shake of his head. He tossed the limb away and circled the injured leech who was growling and hissing, his injured body poised to fight back as best he could.

"You'll pay for that, you filthy dog," the vamp sneered, his words heavily accented and full of hatred as he crouched on his good leg. His hands were hooked into claws, his body hunched as his eyes tracked Paul's every move as he circled him.

_'You'd like to think so,'_ Paul thought as his wolf growled and snarled, his lethal teeth bared and glistening in the rays of moonlight that broke through the trees.

For moments he circled, patiently waiting for his opponent to make his move. He wasn't in a hurry, after all, and drawing this kill out was certainly sating his need for violence.

His own dark chuckle filled his mind as the vampire's gaze darted around, desperately looking for a way to save himself. When none was forthcoming, he bared his fangs at Paul and growled, "What are you waiting for?! Are you afraid?!"

Paul snarled and snapped his jaws but refused to give in, maintaining his nerve-wracking vigil as the panicking vampire slowly lost his wits.

It didn't take much longer, and the vampire lunged with a shout, swinging wildly at the silver wolf's head while trying to twist away from those deadly jaws.

He was unsuccessful and Paul dodged the blow while spinning back on the creature, taking an arm this time at the shoulder while relishing the screams of the leech as it fell, now completely off balance. "Madre de Dio!"

The vampire stared up at the wolf, his pupils blown wide with pain and fear when he saw what he swore was a feral grin from the wolf. _'Yeah, you'd better pray, you filthy parasite,'_ Paul thought before lunging in to take the other leg at the hip.

This time, the vampire swung a fist and connected, but it was weak and Paul shook it off easily while tossing the leg away.

He lunged back in and took a chunk from the vamp's side, the creature's shrieks now purely pain and fear as ribs and long dead internal organs gave way to the wolf's powerful bite.

"Lahote, end it already!"

Paul snarled and glanced up to where Sam, Jared and Embry were standing. Sam had phased, his expression stone as he took in the agonizing demise of the cold one. "You've done enough," he said. "End it."

Paul growled and tore another chunk from the wailing vampire's side, before locking eyes with the other Alpha as he dropped the hunk of muscle, ribs, petrified heart and lung.

Sam blinked, his arms crossed over his chest. "Whatever is going on with you Paul, believe me, this isn't going to solve it."

Pain lanced through Paul's heart, knowing the truth of Sam's words but resenting them all the same.

With another defiant lunge, he took the vamp's remaining arm and now the creature was sobbing. "End me…please, just end me."

Sam stepped forward, now looking at the creature. "We'll hasten your end if you tell us what you're doing here."

The vampire closed his eyes for a beat before looking at the tall native. "Volturi scout," he spat. "Now finish me, per favore!"

"Finish him Lahote, or I will," Sam said, his black gaze locking with flashing amber.

Paul growled and lunged, taking the vampire's head from his shoulders with a snap and a tug. He dropped the head by the body and with a last glance and snarl at Sam, bolted into the forest.

He didn't feel particularly bothered about leaving the clean up to Sam since he'd decided to interfere, but now that he was calming, he could see why the other Alpha had done so. Yes, they may hate vampires on an instinctive level, but they were protectors, not monsters and what he'd been subjecting that vampire to was decidedly unmerciful at the very least. Now that his head was clearing, even he could admit that.

He phased at the cliffs before gracefully diving into the icy waves below, the frigid temperature of the water barely registering in his mind and body as he swam. Anything to rid himself of the desperate, cornered feeling that felt like a fist around his heart.

When he'd gone about a mile out, he stopped and with a hitched sob, he grit his teeth before loosing a frustrated scream while treading the turbulent water.

Dropping his head back to stare at the scant stars, he admitted what his real problem was.

_Bella._

When he'd needed her most, she'd pushed him away, and that, more than anything else was hurting him—hurting his wolf—more than he could put to words.

"Bella…" he whispered, clenching his eyes shut against the sting of tears. Fuck crying. He wasn't a god damned girl, but christ…did this ever _hurt._

After allowing himself a moment to get his shit together, he began swimming back to shore, his pace slow but steady.

When he trudged from the water, he pulled up short at the sight of Charlie standing there with a bundle of clothes and a flashlight. "Sam told me where to find you." He handed him the clothes. "Get dressed kid, then we'll talk."

When he'd finished, he followed Charlie up to where he'd parked his cruiser and they got in. The engine was running and the heater on.

Charlie glanced over. "What's going on son? You and Bells have a fight?"

Paul didn't meet his eyes. "She call you?"

Charlie pursed his lips. "Nope." He pinned Paul with narrowed eyes. "Should she have?"

Paul hung his head. "No Charlie. I didn't touch her. I would _never_…" He raised his head and met Charlie's gaze. "I didn't even raise my voice to her, I swear. I'm not like…him."

Charlie reached over and gripped his shoulder. "I know you're not, son. I never would've stood for you being with her if I thought that, so get those thoughts outta your head right now."

Paul nodded and ran a hand through his damp hair, hating how he was feeling like a scared and uncertain kid again.

Charlie dropped his hand. "All right, since it wasn't a fight between you two, why don't you tell me why you're out here at…" he glanced at his watch, "one-forty-seven in the damn morning, skinny dipping in ice-cold water when you should be home, asleep with your wife."

So, with a resigned nod, he told the man he loved like a father all of it, leaving nothing out, even the rage and hurt he felt and the way he'd slowly destroyed the vampire.

Charlie took it all in silently, only looking over when Paul had finished. He cocked a brow. "So, night two of marriage and you're already on the couch? That's gotta be some kinda record, kid."

Paul snorted a bitter laugh before glancing at Charlie. "Right? Shit…"

"If I remember correctly, I told you messin' with all those girls could come back to bite ya in the ass one a' these days." He held up a hand when Paul started to protest. "I believe you when you say you used protection every time, kid, but the perception is still there and those who don't know you well are gonna believe what they wanna believe, especially since you can't remember much." Charlie looked at him with a cocked brow and Paul nodded and blew out a breath.

"You're right. I get it. It just pisses me off, the way she can just fuck with my life like this."

Charlie narrowed his eyes. "Just be damn glad she's not claiming you raped her."

Paul's eyes went wide and Charlie nodded. "It happens, kid and it's not pretty."

"Shit, yeah, I didn't think it could get much worse than this, but I guess it could."

"Yep, it could," Charlie agreed while putting the car in gear. "Now, I'm gonna drive you home." He glanced at Paul before pulling out. "You ready for that?"

Paul met his gaze with a slow nod. "Yeah, I'm ready."

.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

.

The sound of tires on gravel and a closing car door interrupted Bella's quiet tears and whirling thoughts and she got up to peek out the window in time to see her father's cruiser drive away.

Without even thinking about it, she ran from her bedroom and down the stairs, only stopping at the sight of Paul standing there with a bundle of clothes in his hands.

With a sob, she flew toward him and he dropped the clothes just in time to wrap her in his arms. "I'm sorry…I'm sorry…I'm sorry…" she babbled through tears, her voice muffled against his chest. "You needed me and I pushed you away…" She looked up at him. "I'm so sorry."

"It's okay…" he began but she shook her head.

"It's not." She wiped tears from her eyes and tugged him by the hand to the couch. She pushed him down onto it and straddled his lap. With shaking hands, she cupped his face. "I could feel what you were feeling. I knew you weren't lying to me. I could feel your pain and anger, and still I pushed you away and there's no way I should've done that. It was selfish of me."

He looked away. "You were upset too and you had every right to be…"

She rested her head on his shoulder. "Yeah, maybe I had a right to be upset, but not with you. You're right. You've always been honest with me and to punish you for that was wrong." She met his gaze, her lip quivering with suppressed tears. "Can you forgive me?"

He let out a gusty breath and pulled her tightly to him, his face tucked into her hair at her shoulder. "God Bella…yes, if that's what you need from me, then I forgive you."

Wordlessly, she slid off his lap and took his hand to lead him upstairs. Once there, she undressed him, neither of them speaking a word as her hands skimmed the warm skin of his chest before rising to pull him down into a kiss. "Need you…" she murmured before backing away to shed her own clothes.

Once bare, she laid back on their bed, her hand in his urging him to follow.

He covered her, holding himself carefully above her as his hips settled into the cradle of her thighs.

"Bella…' he murmured before brushing his lips over hers. "I love you so damn much…"

Tears sparkled in her eyes as she held his face. "Show me," she whispered.

He kissed her then, his tongue delving past her parted lips to taste her sweetness as her legs rose to wrap his trim, muscled hips, her heels resting on the tight, perfect swell of his ass.

She moaned low in her throat as his hand skimmed her side, finally resting to cup her breast as he trailed hot, wet kisses to the aching peak. She drew in a sharp breath and arched against him as the feel of his hot mouth sent spikes of pleasure right to her center. "Paul, please…"

With practiced ease, he positioned himself and slid into her, a throaty groan escaping him at the feel of her tight, slick heat perfectly sheathing his cock.

"Yes," she whispered, her head thrown back and body arched as he began to thrust, his pace slow and strokes firm as her blunt nails pressed into the smooth skin of his back.

Words of forgiveness and sighs of pure pleasure were exchanged among kisses as he made slow, sweet love to her, their bodies expressing more than mere words ever could as their souls reconnected and rejoiced, neither of them even noticing the slight glow that surrounded them as they reached their completion together.

With one final kiss, he moved to the side and pulled her close, their bodies entwined as they slipped into sleep.

Tomorrow was a new day.

One they would face together.

Come what may…

**Your thoughts?**

**Please review.**

**'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	42. Chapter 42

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and any original characters therein. No copyright infringement intended.

.

A/N: Just a heads up. The track pad on my faithful Macbook of 7 years is getting ready to take a hefty shit (over a million words I've typed on this sucker...is it any wonder? lol). I'm going to try to take it to the Apple store (about 70 miles from where I live) this weekend, but who knows how long it may be out of commission, so... yeah. Next time you hear from me may be a while from now. As always, lots of love to those who take time to drop me a line or two in a review. Thanks for the support/encouragement concerning the new glasses ladies (You know who you are). I'm actually getting used to them! Light and love, ~Spudz

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**Chapter 42**

Paul was in the middle of breakfast and Bella was sipping a cup of tea when Rudy burst through their back door with a million watt grin. "Well, don't you two look all domestic and shit!"

Paul cocked a brow before taking a sip of coffee. "S'up fucker?"

Rudy flopped into a chair at the table and grabbed a slice of toast, taking a big bite as Bella smiled a greeting. "Morning D. Would you like some breakfast?"

"Nah," he said around the bite of toast. "I already ate at Aunt Lisa's, but thanks."

Bella smirked behind the rim of her cup while Paul shook his head and took another bite of omelette.

"Fresh coffee in the pot and you know where the cups are," Bella told him.

"Sounds good," Rudy said while getting up to pour some.

Paul glanced at his chipper brother as he sat back down. "So, what are you doing here so early?"

Rudy swallowed another bite of toast while straddling his chair. "Sam's holding a pack meeting before we head out for work today. He wanted me to come by and tell you."

Paul's brows inched up. "He forget about technology all of a sudden?"

Rudy looked perplexed for a moment before shrugging. "Fuck if I know, little bro."

Bella swallowed a snort before eyeing her smirking husband. "Maybe it's because you have a habit of not answering?"

Paul shrugged. "He could text."

Rudy rolled his eyes. "Any-way," he drew out, "there's a meeting and he requests your presence."

"Any idea what it's about?" Paul asked, his tone guarded. It'd been a few days since his run in with Rachel Black and they hadn't heard anything from or about her since.

Rudy shrugged again. "Who knows, bro? Maybe he wants to give you a late Christmas stocking since you being in a coma kinda canceled the festivities," he joked. Bella frowned and looked away, not liking the reminder.

Paul looked from Rudy to Bella in surprise. "Seriously? You guys didn't do Christmas?"

She shrugged and shook her head. "With everything going on, it wasn't exactly high on the list of priorities."

He nodded.

Rudy shot Bella a contrite look. "Sorry B."

"It's okay. I just don't like thinking about it."

"Speaking of all that, any word on how the doc's doing?"

Bella blinked. "Maybe that's what the meeting's about?"

Paul glanced at his obviously clueless brother while finishing the last of his breakfast. "All the guessing is useless," he said while rising to load his dishes in the dish washer.

"I just…I just hope it's not about Rachel Black," Bella said, her brows drawn in a deep frown.

Paul's jaw clenched as he leaned against the counter. Rudy glanced warily between the two. "If it is, just…try not to lose your shit?"

The look Paul shot him was fierce. "I can't promise anything."

Bella stood and wrapped her arms around him. "Together baby…we'll face it together."

He nodded.

"Well," Rudy said as he stood to put his cup in the sink, "whatever it's about, we'd better get there before Sam has a litter of kittens."

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XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

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When they walked in, the house was full with the exception of Leah and Embry who were on patrol. Sam glanced up while setting his coffee down on the massive dining table. "Good, you're here. We can get started."

They took seats at the table, none of them missing the stoic presence of the Elders. Bella reached over and took Paul's hand.

Sam stood. "All right. First order of business: Lucas, after a couple of days of sheer hell, is doing relatively well and best of all, is now immune to vampire venom." He smiled faintly amidst claps and whistles. "The vaccine is a success and Dr. Cullen says he can begin immunizing the pack as early as next week. Due to the down time required, I've worked out a schedule so that only two members at a time are down. They're printed out and you can grab one on your way out today. They're on the table by the front door."

Jake kicked back in his chair with a frown. "So what you're saying is we're gonna be sick as shit for a couple of days?"

Sam met his gaze. "Yes, based on Lucas's response, that's what we're anticipating. It might be better, then again, it might be worse. It's impossible to know until more are vaccinated, but we've discussed it and the council believes the risks are worth the benefits."

Jake's expression darkened. "We have no choice in this?"

Billy lifted his chin. "No son, you don't. The decision's been made and I believe this is the best and safest course of action."

"Due to the sheer numbers of our enemy that we've been told to expect, we need every advantage we can get when the time comes to fight them. If we don't have to worry with being poisoned by their bite, that kind of assurance will allow us to fight more aggressively," Sam explained to nods all around.

Jake was the last hold out, but Angela gripped his hand and after a sharing a quick glance with her, and taking note of her pleading expression, he nodded. "Yeah, all right. Can't say I'm looking forward to it though."

Sam snorted. "None of us are, but two days give or take is a damn sight better than what Lahote went through."

He glanced around at everyone before continuing. "All right, so make note of when you're scheduled and be prepared to be out of commission for at least three days to be on the safe side. Jake, I'll be going last and you'll be in charge while I'm down."

His eyes went wide. "Me?"

Sam smirked. "Sure. By blood, you're supposed to be the Alpha. Consider this a trial run."

"If you insist," he grumbled.

"I do." Sam shuffled some papers on the table before looking up. "As I'm sure you've heard, we're still dealing with the occasional scout showing up from these Italian vampires. They seem determined to keep a close eye on us, so be vigilant out there and do all you can to get the bastards when they do show up."

At the answering growls and nods, he nodded.

"That's about all I have for the moment. Just be sure to grab a copy of the fresh schedule before leaving. Trust me when I say, if you forget it and fail to show when you're supposed to, I'll have your ass. Now, I believe there are some things the Elders need to address, so, Chief, go ahead."

Billy cleared his throat to speak but stopped when Charlie and Lisa walked in. Charlie laid a hand on Paul's shoulder, giving him a firm pat before helping Lisa into a chair and calmly seating himself. "Heard there was a meeting going on today. Thought we'd sit in," he said with a glance at his oldest friend, "that is, if you don't mind."

Billy held Charlie's gaze a moment. "You're both welcome here Charlie," he finally said, his tone guarded.

Charlie gave a nod and Billy glanced around the room before beginning. "An issue has been brought to my attention; one that I felt was serious enough to discuss beforehand with my fellow elders. After our discussion, we felt it was necessary to address it with all of you today." He glanced at Paul who tensed but stayed silent.

"There's just no easy way to broach the subject, so I'll be blunt. My daughter has told me that Paul Lahote is the father of her unborn child."

"What?!" Jake shot to his feet. "She claimed it was some guy she was with in Seattle; a guy she refused to name." He turned and pinned Paul with a look. "Lahote?"

Paul met his gaze squarely. "It's not my kid."

Billy shifted in his seat while looking at Paul. "Did you have relations with my daughter?"

Paul's hand tightened on Bella's. "Maybe. I really can't remember. She claims it was at a party and I was drunk, which, considering what the end of my senior year was like, is highly probable. What I will tell you is that I was always—_always_—careful and there's _no_ way that kid is mine."

Jake snorted and dropped back into his chair. "You can't know that for sure."

"I can," Paul snapped, his eyes flashing amber with his temper. "Bella carries my child and I can feel that child—my wolf _feels_ my child. I feel no such connection with Rachel Black's child, because it's - not - mine," he finished with a sneer.

Billy drew himself up, his tone solemn. "You cast doubt and dishonor on our family name."

"Oh please," Jake said with a sigh before anyone else could respond. "My bitch of a sister has done that all on her own and you know it."

Billy scowled. "Jacob…" he growled in warning before looking back at Paul. "You need to step up and do the right thing."

Paul leaned forward, his top lip curled. "I am doing the right thing. I am employed. I am married to my imprint. _She_ carries my child and we both fulfill our duties to our people _every day_ and will continue doing so, no matter the sacrifices those duties have already cost us.

"But you seem to believe there's more I need to do, so fine, I demand a DNA test." He sat back and crossed his arms. "Until science proves that kid is mine, I refuse to have anything to do with the situation, because I already know, in my heart and my soul, that I am not the father of your daughter's child."

"You dishonor my family…" Billy began but Jake cut in.

"Dad, don't make me do this…" he murmured. "Don't make me usurp you." He looked up, his dark gaze locked with his father's. "Because I will if I have to."

Billy looked appalled. "Our honor is at stake!"

Jake gave a slow shake of his head. "What proof does she have?"

"Her word as my daughter!"

Jake scoffed. "I cannot _believe_ you brought this out in such a public way. Thank the Spirits it's just pack family here because I'm gonna lay this out for you Dad. Her word means absolute shit, and it's about time you realized that."

He gestured to Paul. "He's my Spirit brother. We've fought together; laid our lives on the line for each other, so if he says his wolf feels nothing for her kid, I believe him, because, frankly, my tie with him is deeper and means more than my tie with her ever will. That applies to the rest of the pack too, and I'm sorry if you can't understand that, but that's how it is. So I'll say this one more time; if you force my hand, I'll take my place as rightful Chief and Alpha to protect my brother."

Billy's head tilted proudly, his chin jutting defiantly as he played his last card. "Your sister is a part of this pack too."

Jake shook his head, his eyes closing for a beat before meeting his father's gaze again. "Jesus Dad, you're breaking my heart here. I love you, but you can be one stubborn son of a bitch when you wanna be."

He sighed and rubbed his eyes. "Fine Dad, explain to me just how that can be."

"She's Lucas Uley's imprint."

"What?!" Sue snapped while Sam muttered a quiet, "Aw, jesus." Everyone else shot wary glances at each other, knowing that shit just got impossibly worse.

Jake's eyes narrowed. "Did he tell you this? Has it been verified?" he asked with a quick glance at Sam who shook his head.

Billy looked smug. "No, he didn't tell me but your sister described their encounter at the clinic and from what she told me, I know that's what happened."

Sue sighed. "He did act very…distressed when he handed her case file over to me. At the time, I didn't think much of it considering the stress he's been under…"

Brows shot up from just about everyone when Paul began chuckling bitterly. "Is Loki one of our Spirit guides, because I swear to god, someone or something is all for fucking with us just for shits and grins."

"Right?" Jake said with a scoff. "Fuck, at this point, I wouldn't be shocked if one of us imprints on a fucking leech."

Multiple growls and snarls met that statement but Paul just tossed up a hand. "Wouldn't surprise me."

"Let's hope to Christ you're wrong Black," Sam said with a sigh. "But all humor aside, it doesn't change the fact that we now have a potential imprint claiming another wolf—our mated and married brother—as the father of her baby."

It was only then that Old Quil spoke up. "If our silver wolf denies the child, I believe him." He pinned Paul with his wizened gaze. "I see honor in you, young Alpha. If the child was yours, you would claim it."

Paul inclined his head in respect while holding the old man's gaze. "I would."

Sam took a deep breath and blew it out. "We need to speak to Lucas." He looked at Sue. "Is he well enough to join us?"

"Let me make a call," she said while pulling out her phone.

Rudy stood up and glanced at his watch. "Hate to point this out, but some of us have jobs and school to get to and I've already missed the downtown breakfast crowd."

Sam waved a hand and lowered himself into his seat. "That's fine. Go if you need to. The rest of us will deal with this and brief you all later. Just don't forget your amended schedules!" he called as the ones that needed to leave filtered out. "The rest of you feel free to help yourselves to drinks or whatever while we wait."

"Jacob, don't you have classes?" Billy asked.

Jake swallowed his sip of soda. "I'm staying. We need to resolve this, as much as possible anyway, and let's just say, your judgement isn't the greatest where my sister's concerned."

Sue walked back in after ending her call. "He's on his way and I need to take Seth to school and get to the clinic, so I'll check back in later for details."

Sam waved her off and she walked out.

Jake glanced over at Paul. "I can't believe you were dumb enough to do my sister… Not that she's ugly or anything, but shit dude."

A muscle jumped in Paul's jaw. "If it happened at all, I was drunk, Black."

He nodded. "Remind me to never get that drunk."

Sam arched a brow and smirked at him. "You're a wolf now. It's damn near impossible."

"Huh," he muttered. "Guess in light of this I should be grateful."

Paul snorted, tugged Bella to her feet and walked out to sit on the porch.

Billy turned to his oldest friend. "You staying?"

Charlie narrowed his eyes. "Damn right I'm staying."

Billy blew out a deep breath. "You're pissed at me."

With a pat to Charlie's hand and an understanding smile, Lisa got up to get a drink and go sit outside with her son.

Charlie groaned and rubbed his forehead before meeting his friend's eyes. "I can see both sides of this, Billy, but yeah, I can't help but feel a little pissed. I couldn't love that boy more if he was my own flesh. Hell, I raised him through his teens and Bella is my daughter. If the two didn't love each other as much as they do, this probably would've torn them apart, so yeah, I'm gonna be defensive."

"Rachel's my daughter, Charlie, my blood…"

"I know, and like I said, I can see your side of it too, but Billy, _someone_ is lying here." Billy nodded sadly and Charlie continued.

"Now I realize the boy's no saint. I'm well aware of the reputation he has with the female population. Hell, _I'm_ the one who bought him his first box of condoms and gave him the talk when it was clear the girls weren't about to leave him alone. I know him. He talks to me about _everything_ and Billy, he may be a lot of things, but he's _not_ a liar."

Billy leaned forward and scrubbed over his face with both hands. "Damn," he said before looking up at his oldest friend and then his son. "I just really wanted to see the best in her."

"Every parent does, Billy and no one can blame you for that."

"Yeah," Jake weighed in, "but at the same time, you can't keep turning a blind eye, Dad. You're not doing her any favors when you do."

Billy smiled wryly. "When the hell did you get so wise, son?"

Jake shrugged. "I had to grow up fast, Dad."

Sadness filled Billy's eyes. "Yeah, you did, didn't you?"

"Okay, I'm here."

They all looked toward the door Lucas entered and watched him slump into a chair. "You look like hell," Sam observed and Lucas shot him a bleary-eyed glare.

"You don't say?"

Jake looked taken aback. "This is you feeling _better_?!"

"Considering I spent the past two days in a hospital bed, praying for death? Yes, this is me feeling better."

"Fuck, don't sugar coat or anything, Doc," Jake muttered, looking a bit pale.

"Don't worry, I won't," he muttered as Emily set a steaming cup of coffee in front of him. "No one tell Cullen I drank this," he grumbled before taking a healthy pull from the cup. His eyes closed and he sighed. "Fuck, that's good." He smiled at Emily. "Thank you."

She smiled back. "You're welcome. Have you eaten? I could make you something…"

He held up a hand. "Hospital oatmeal and toast earlier and I think that's all my stomach can handle, but thank you all the same." He looked to Sam and the elders as everyone who'd been outside came back in and sat down. "Now, what's so important you had to drag me from my death bed?"

Billy locked his gaze with the Doctor. "You saw my daughter in the clinic a while back. Rachel Black." They all noticed with interest as Lucas paled. "I need an honest answer. Did you imprint on my daughter?"

Lucas hung his head, muttering a quiet "Fuck" before looking back up. "Yeah, I think I may have. Why?"

Billy's eyes narrowed. "You don't seem happy at the prospect."

Lucas chuckled bitterly. "In all honesty? I can't say I am."

"Why is that?"

"Well, let's see," Lucas said while leaning back in his seat. "It could be because I have a live-in girlfriend, one whom I've been with for years now and love very much. It could also be that your daughter is heavily pregnant with another man's child—a situation I'd rather avoid if possible.

"Now, I have nothing against single mothers, but kids were just never in my plans, _ever_ and Amanda—my girlfriend—agrees with me. We don't even have pets. Our lives just don't allow for that kind of responsibility. Our careers keep us busy and when we do have time off, we travel and enjoy ourselves. Kids and pets just don't fit into that."

"You sound like a selfish man," Billy said and Jake nearly face-palmed as Lucas flushed and began to tremble.

"Lucas, head outside and cool off if you need to," Sam ordered, but the doctor shook his head and took a long drink from his cup before blowing out a long, calming breath.

"No, I'm good," he said before pinning the Chief with a heated gaze.

"Let's get something straight. I came back here to help out of a sense of family and duty, because when it came to school, my people were there for me…" he leaned forward, "but I don't owe you or anyone else all that I am or will ever be, got it?

"I worked my ass off to get where I am, so if I wanna be a little selfish, as you term it, and go on vacations when I have the time off, I'm gonna god-damn well do it and no one's going to guilt me out of it.

"At the same time, if I decide I want to avoid being mystically tied to some girl who failed at her own bid for freedom while getting herself knocked up with some loser's kid, then that's what I'm going to do."

He slammed a hand on the table top, causing Emily and Bella to jump which drew warning growls from Sam and Paul. Still, he continued. "I'll be damned if I'm going to allow someone like that to drag me down into her self-cultivated shit pile, Chief. I don't give a fuck if she's your daughter or the fucking Queen of England."

By the time he'd finished his rant, he was leaning very close to Billy's face, whose eyes were wide and blinking.

Billy glanced over at his son who dipped his head, flipped a hand up and arched a brow. "You heard the man, Dad, and I can't say I blame him."

Billy spluttered and looked back at the seething doctor. "But she's your imprint! You can't just reject an imprint!"

"Yeah?" Lucas growled. "Watch me."

**Your thoughts?**

**Please review.**

**'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	43. Chapter 43

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and any original characters therein. No copyright infringement intended.

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A/N: Hi all. I'm back with a fully functioning (knock on wood) Mac. Apple considers it to be vintage though, and they refused to fix it at first. I'm sure if it breaks again, I'm screwed, so let's hope for the best.

Without giving too much of the chapter away, I will warn that there is some material in the latter part of this chapter that may act as a trigger to those who react to violence of a sexual nature. I debated saying anything, but thought I should, just to be safe.

Life ain't always rainbows and butterflies and I try to reflect that in my writing. Suffice to say I try to give plausible reasons for my characters to be the way they are. There's nothing worse (in my opinion) than a villain without good reasons (not excuses, mind. We all make choices, good or bad) for being the way they are.

That being said, I hope you find the chapter an enjoyable read and best wishes for a stellar weekend. Light and love, ~Spudz

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_Previously:_

_Billy spluttered. "But she's your imprint! You can't just reject an imprint!"_

_"Yeah?" Lucas growled. "Watch me."_

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**Chapter 43**

Bella cupped her hands around her mug and gently blew a cooling breath into her steaming tea before taking a careful sip. Satisfied with the taste, she eased into a kitchen chair across from Angela who sipped from her own cup. It was quiet and they had the house to themselves since Paul was at work.

"So, how you holding up?" Angela asked. "And don't BS me."

Bella's brows inched up. "BS? Wow, Jake's rubbing off on you."

Angela shrugged despite the blush heating her cheeks. "Maybe, a little. Getting kicked out of my parents house and completely ignored by them since might have something to do with it too. Hard to stay ignorant of the harder knocks of life when stuff like that happens, ya know?"

Bella stared down at her cup and nodded. "Yeah, I guess it would." She glanced up. "Sorry."

Angela waved a hand. "It's all good. Crying about it or dwelling on it gains me nothing. Jake's been a god-send." She glanced up and smiled. "Really, he's pretty amazing."

Bella grinned. "Yeah? So things are going good between you two?"

Angela toyed with her cup before nodding. "They're getting there. He's letting me set the pace, so that's been good. No pressure, you know?"

Bella took another sip of tea. "That's sweet of him."

"It is."

"So, are you over Cullen?" Bella nearly cringed as the question left her lips but Angela smiled ruefully at the contrite look on her friend's face.

"It's okay B, really. It doesn't hurt anymore, so yeah, I think I'm getting there. Looking back, I can see how he wasn't good for me in so many ways. He was controlling, just like my parents, and I think I would've been just as repressed in a life with him as I had been my whole life."

She looked up and smiled a genuine smile. "I feel free now—free to make choices about my future and do what I want to do, especially since Jake is actually encouraging it."

"You test out and get your diploma yet?" Bella asked and Angela shook her head.

"Not yet, but I have the appointment set. I figured I'd wait until after Jake recovers from the vaccine. I want to be able to be there for him."

"I don't blame you."

Angela sat back and curled a leg under her before taking another sip from her cup. "Enough about me though. No more deflecting—how are _you_?"

Bella took a slow breath and let it out. "I'm good. _We're_ good. I mean, this whole Rachel thing is tough, but I think we'll be stronger for it when it's all said and done. That's the goal anyway. I mean, I knew he wasn't an angel before we ever started dating. He was completely honest with me, so I can't really fault him for his past, you know?"

Angela nodded. "And the baby? Everything good there?"

Bella smiled and rubbed her belly. "Yeah, everything's great so far. I just had my twenty week check up and she's doing great. Lucas says she's healthy and measuring right on track, so that's all I can ask for."

She got up and grabbed the ultrasound pic off the fridge before taking her seat and handing it to Angela who cooed over it.

"Is this one of those three-d pics? It's amazing! You can see her little face and everything!"

Bella grinned. "Yeah, it is. Paul swears she has my lips and nose."

Angela nodded before looking up and handing the pic back. "I agree. Between the two of you, she's gonna be gorgeous."

Bella laughed. "Yeah, Paul's already joking about buying a shot gun to intimidate the boys in a few years. At least, I _hope_ he's joking."

Angela arched a brow. "Has he looked in a mirror recently? I doubt a shot gun'll be necessary."

"Exactly my point, but I think Charlie's egging him on."

Angela chuckled. "Oh god, I can just picture the two of them the first time a boy comes to your house! I truly pity the kid, whoever he is."

Bella dipped her head and raised a hand. "Enough said."

They both fell into a mirthful silence while sipping their tea before Bella sobered and met her friend's gaze. "So, the Rachel situation. How's _that_ going?"

Angela took a deep breath and let it out. "Well, after that meeting at Sam's, it's been…tough. She and Jake really got into it when we got back home that day and when Billy didn't defend her…well, if I thought things were tense before…"

"So, she's sticking to her story?"

Angela nodded, looking apologetic. "Yeah, she is."

"I thought she was supposed to be getting her own place?"

"She is, but I guess the first one she chose—the fully furnished one—was snapped up by someone else, so she's waiting for the next one on the list to be vacated."

"Has she been told about the pack yet? I mean, even though Lucas doesn't want her, she _is_ his imprint."

Angela shook her head. "No, and Lucas has been staying well away from her even though her appointments are weekly now, since she's so close to her due date."

Bella's brows shot up. "How's he managing that?"

Angela shrugged. "You got me."

"Huh."

"I heard he asked his girlfriend to move here and that she's thinking about it."

"Really? He's moving her into _this_ mess?"

Angela rolled her lips and nodded. "Yep. I guess he's serious about it too since he just rented a house."

Bella chuckled. "How is it that you know all the juicy gossip and I hear none of this?"

Angela shot her a flat look and they both spoke at once…

"Billy."

After laughing together, Bella nodded. "I should've known. The elders are worse than a bunch of clucking hens when it comes to gossip."

"I've noticed," Angela agreed dryly.

Bella quirked a brow while hiding a smirk behind the rim of her cup. "So, what's the scoop on the girlfriend?"

"Bella Swan! …Lahote, sorry, that takes some getting used to—I'm surprised at you! You usually stay out of gossip."

Bella rolled her eyes. "Cut me some slack here. I'm a pregnant housewife who has to wait for the new semester to start before having something to do. Now spill."

"Fine," Angela drew out with a put upon sigh before smirking. Bella's eyes narrowed and she raised a hand with a laugh. "Okay, okay, Ms. Hormones. Don't get your knickers in a wad.

"I _might've_ heard that Lucas dragged Sue into Seattle to help him pick out a ring for a certain girlfriend who just happens to be looking to open a law office in Port Angeles."

Bella sat back and crossed her arms. "Wow. They're serious then."

Angela nodded while slowly turning her tea mug. "Yep, seems so."

"I wonder if it's easier for him to resist the imprint due to the pregnancy."

"That seems to be the consensus among the elders," Angela murmured.

Bella nodded, deep in thought. "Stands to reason, since the wolf would sense the baby and since it isn't his, he wouldn't necessarily see her as a mate. He would see her as already being claimed by another."

Angela nodded. "Probably."

Bella shook her head. "I just hope it works out for him."

"Me too."

Bella met her friend's gaze. "That leaves Rachel, all alone and with a baby. I kind-of feel sorry for her."

Angela's brows inched up. "Really?"

"Well, yeah. I mean, yes, she's been a bitch but think about it… She's been abandoned by the father—whoever he is—and now none of her family, with the possible exception of Billy, wants anything to do with her. As far as I can see, she has no friends left here either… She's all alone and facing being a single parent with no prospects for a future. That's pretty sad."

"God, that's … depressing."

Bella nodded and they both fell into silence as they thought about it until Bella's stomach growled—loudly.

"Hungry?" Angela asked through a laugh.

"What gave it away?" Bella said with a smirk before rising and pulling open the fridge.

As she rummaged, she spoke. "Hey, how about I pack some lunch and we go to your place?" She pulled out stuff for sandwiches, set it on the counter and looked at her gaping friend. "Maybe it's time someone tried to be Rachel's friend? What do you think?"

"Oh Bella," Angela said warily. "I don't know… Maybe you should leave that to me and maybe Emily…"

Bella waved a hand and began putting lunch for three together. "Bullshit. She doesn't scare me. I'm a big girl and can take whatever she dishes out. It'll be fine, you'll see."

Heaving a sigh, Angela got up to help. "I hope you're right, because if not, this could be bad."

"Nah," Bella said while pulling out a basket to pack everything in. "It'll be fine," she repeated, hoping like hell she was right.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Jake sighed as he flopped down next to Embry who squinted while lighting a cigarette. "I'm surprised Sam hasn't kicked your ass for that yet," he said before taking a long pull from his bottled water.

Embry wiped some sweat from his forehead and shrugged. "He ain't happy about it, but I'm my own man. Not much he can do about it."

Jake chuckled. "More like he's been too busy to do much about it…yet."

Embry shot him a lopsided grin. "Yeah, probably."

Since figuring out they were half brothers, the Alpha had been more protective of him, that's for sure. Still, the man had a shit-ton of things to do, what with his full time construction job, his wife and the pack… It was enough to keep him off Embry's back, so he counted himself lucky. He'd grown up without a father. He sure as hell didn't need a pseudo-one stepping in now.

"So," he said, changing the subject, "we're almost done with this truck, yeah?"

Jake nodded and wiped his grease stained hand on his jeans before reaching for the massive sandwich Angela'd made him for lunch before leaving for Bella's. "Yep," he mumbled around a huge bite while Embry dug into his own lunch. "We just need to drop the engine back in and set the timing."

"This one's quite the paycheck," Embry said and Jake nodded and took a drink.

"A full re-build? Hell yeah it is. Thanks for helping out today, by the way."

"No sweat."

They finished lunch in silence and packed up their trash before leaning back against the garage wall to finish out their break. "I'm hoping, if this guy's happy with my work, he'll send more my way."

"Yeah? You still thinking of opening a shop?"

Jake nodded. "That's the plan. I was gonna take some auto mechanic cert classes online—you know, in all my spare time," he said dryly as Embry chuckled. "You should too. You could join me in the business. Hell, we could get Quil into it too."

Embry nodded. "That sounds pretty good actually. I'll look into it."

"Remind me later. I've got the info for the classes inside."

"Okay."

The sound of a truck pulling in had them poking their heads out the garage door to see who it was. "It's Angela," Embry commented with a look at his friend whose eyes narrowed.

"And Bella," Jake murmured as they watched the two women climb out of the truck with a basket. "What the fuck is she doing here? Is she crazy?"

Embry's eyes widened. "Your sister's inside, isn't she?"

Jake nodded. "She is."

Embry looked back just as the girls entered the house. "Oh shit. Should we do anything?"

Jake shot him a wary glance. "Let's keep an ear on them and see what happens. Be ready though."

Embry reached over and turned off the tunes so they could hear clearly. "Okay man. I hope you know what you're doing."

Jake scoffed. "They're women—of course I don't, but Bella probably needs this, so unless it really turns to shit, I'm gonna let it happen."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Angela walked in first, closely followed by Bella who closed the door with a quiet click as her friend greeted a surprised looking Billy.

He grabbed the remote and turned off the game he'd been watching. "Wow, this is a surprise," he said while shooting a guarded look at Bella.

She smiled and held up the basket. "We thought we could maybe extend an olive branch to Rachel over lunch? You know, just us girls?"

His brows had climbed higher with every word as he blinked at them. "Uh," he said, a bit speechless, "that's…that's really nice of the two of you," he finished with a smile. "She's in her room, reading. I'll just tell her you're here and finish watching the game in my room."

"No need," a cold voice intoned from the hallway as Rachel stepped out. "I'm right here." Her gaze was pinned to Bella as her father rolled by with a muttered "Be nice."

"Of course," she said without taking her eyes off Bella. When she heard his bedroom door close and the low sounds of the TV, she sneered. "All right, cut the shit. Why are you really here?"

Bella took a bracing breath to bolster her patience and walked into the kitchen where she began to unpack the food onto the table. Angela followed and got some drinks out of the fridge before taking a seat as Rachel walked in.

Bella sat and motioned toward an open seat. "There's no shit to cut, Rachel. I've been thinking about your situation and thought you could use a friend or two."

Rachel took the seat and glanced between the two other women before laughing bitterly. "Sure you did." She leaned forward, her stare hard. "Feeling sorry for me, are you? The benevolent Bella Swan, perfect little daughter to the vaunted Forks Chief of Police, deigning to grace little ol' me with her presence? I should be _so_ grateful."

Bella arched a brow and crossed her arms as Angela watched on warily. "I go by Bella Lahote these days, thanks, and I've never claimed to be perfect or benevolent, so sorry to disappoint."

Rachel snorted and sat back and Bella shook her head. "What's made you so bitter? You weren't like this when we were little, so what happened?"

Rachel narrowed her eyes. "Don't come in here acting like you know me. You know nothing about me."

"Exactly, and that's why I'm here. No ulterior motives, just trying to get to know you. Who knows? Maybe we could even be friends. Would that be so terrible?"

"I outed your husband as the father of my child. No woman in the world is that forgiving, so what are you playing at?"

Bella grabbed a wrapped sandwich and placed it in front of Rachel with some chips, otherwise completely ignoring the bitter, suspicious woman seated next to her. "Let's eat. I'm starved."

She passed Angela a sandwich and unwrapped her own, taking a bite before cracking the top on her water to take a drink. "You choose a name yet?" she asked casually between bites when she saw Rachel grudgingly begin to eat.

She shook her head and scowled. "No, I haven't. I try not to think about it, to be honest."

Bella's brow creased. "Aren't you even a little happy or excited?"

Rachel dropped the sandwich with a glare. "Not all of us have someone to play cozy house with, Swan, so forgive me if I'm not humming lullabies and knitting booties. This kid has _ruined_ my life. End of story."

"Again, it's Lahote," Bella murmured before shooting a sad look at the other pregnant woman, "and that baby? He hasn't done _anything_ to you, Rachel, and even though you may not want to admit that, you know it's true."

Rachel's jaw clenched and Bella was shocked by the sight of tears filling her eyes and spilling over despite the look of fury slowly twisting her features.

She gasped as Rachel lunged and grabbed a fistful of her hair at the base of her skull while yanking her close. "You don't know shit," she growled while punctuating her words with vicious, sharp tugs of Bella's hair as Bella clamped a hand around her wrist.

Angela shot from her seat, her hands fluttering uselessly as she pleaded with Jake's sister to let her friend go. Rachel ignored her and kept talking.

"This kid I'm carrying? Every time I think of him or feel him move, or even look in a god damn mirror, I have to relive the feel of that bastard's hands on me—punching, slapping, ripping as he held a knife to my throat… I have to relive the feel of him invading my body…my flesh tearing and bleeding as he violated me in the worst way possible, so don't you sit there with pity in your eyes while telling me _what I feel_." She yanked viciously one more time and let go before straightening, her hands clenched into tight fists at her sides, her voice cracking as she finished. "You have _no fucking clue_. No one does!"

She stormed from the room and Bella wiped some tears from her cheeks as Angela wrapped her in a hug, both women shaking with pent up emotions as they struggled to process what they'd just heard.

"Oh god, Angela..." Bella finally whispered to her friend. She drew away and met Angela's teary gaze. "She was raped."

**Your thoughts?**

**Please review?**

**'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	44. Chapter 44

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and any original characters therein. No copyright infringement intended.

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A/N: Short chapter, I know, but it's Saturday, I have teen boys, and of course, they have need of the official taxi. Still, I wanted to get at least this out to you. Light and love, ~Spudz

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**Chapter 44**

Both girls jumped as the front door slammed against the wall when Jake and Embry entered. Jake strode into the kitchen, his expression fierce as the two girls looked at him. "You both okay?" he snapped.

Bella nodded and wiped her eyes with a napkin as Angela answered. "Yeah, we're okay."

He turned to leave but Bella grabbed his arm. "Where are you going?"

He looked down at her. "I need to talk to Rachel."

She shook her head. "No Jake. Let me and Angela handle it…please?"

A muscle ticked in his jaw. "I heard everything she said."

Bella nodded. "Then you should know she needs to talk to someone who'll listen without getting angry."

"My sister was raped," he said as his whole body began trembling.

"She was," Bella conceded, "but step back and look at yourself right now Jake. Are you really prepared to hear what she has to say without blowing up?"

He rubbed at his forehead before slumping into a seat, his head held in both hands as he stared at the table top. "No. I'm not."

She laid a hand on his shoulder. "I'll go talk to her."

He nodded and she walked out.

She stood for a moment at Rachel's closed door, trying to calm her nerves from what had happened in the kitchen. Her hand shook and she clenched it tightly before finally knocking.

"What?!" Rachel barked.

She hung her head. "Rachel? It's Bella. Can I come in?"

The girl's voice was harsh as she answered. "Just go the fuck away, Swan…Lahote, whatever the fuck your name is. I don't want or need your pity."

Bella scowled and shoved open the door, shutting it firmly behind her as she got a look at the girl sitting on her bed. "Look, I'm not here to give you pity, Black." She stepped farther into the room. "I've tried to be nice, and that obviously doesn't work with you. However, I still think you need a friend, whether you realize it or not, because no one should have to go through something like this alone."

Rachel sneered. "So, you're here to play the hero are you? Well, take your cape and fuck off, 'cause I don't need one of those either."

"Yeah, because you're doing such a bang up job at life on your own," Bella sneered right back.

"Again, you don't know me."

Bella scoffed. "I don't need to know you. You're pissed off at everyone and everything. You're miserable and you're determined to make everyone around you miserable too because you haven't dealt with what happened. Well, guess what? You're not the only woman who's gone through something like this and as devastating as I'm sure it is, it's not the end of the world unless you let it be.

"Now, you have an innocent baby on the way, and unless you deal with the shit eating away at you, you're gonna take it out on him and I'm not gonna stand by and let that happen. If you insist on wallowing, you're not gonna take that baby down with you in the process."

Rachel shot from the bed and got in Bella's face. "You better back the fuck up because no one invited you here. You have no right to meddle in my life, so leave while you still can, little pale face."

Bella stuck her chin out, eyes flashing as her temper rose. "You don't scare me, so kiss my white ass."

"Fine, you're not gonna leave, then I'll make you," Rachel growled before grabbing and yanking Bella's hair again, this time, trying to wrestle her to the door.

Bella shrieked and grabbed a fistful of Rachel's hair, this time giving as good as she got before Rachel suddenly dropped to her knees with a gasp.

Bella backed away and looked down, eyes wide as the other girl clutched her belly with a deep groan. "What? Rachel, what is it?!"

The girl answered through gritted teeth. "I think…I think my water just broke."

Bella spun on her heel and yanked the door open. "Jake!"

He rushed in and Bella pointed to his sister who was curled over herself, moaning. "She's going into labor. You need to get her to the clinic. I'll call Sue and let her know you're coming."

Jake scooped his sister into his arms and started out the door but Rachel grabbed Bella's arm and he paused. "Will you…will you come with me?" she asked, her eyes now filled with fear as she looked at Bella.

Bella's eyes went wide. "You want _me_… in there… with you?"

She tightened her grip on Bella's arm and nodded as she muttered, "There's no one else."

Bella sighed and nodded. "Yeah Rachel, I'll go with you."

She let go and Jake carried her out as Bella made the call to Sue.

She'd just made it outside when Paul's truck tore into the driveway. He hopped out and wrapped her in his arms. "What the hell's going on Bella? Your emotions have been killing me."

She allowed herself a moment of comfort before pulling away to look for Angela. "Ang, can you ride with Rachel and Jake? She needs a friend beside her. Tell her I'll be there in a few with Paul."

Angela nodded and hopped in the truck with Jake and they took off as Billy and Embry looked on, both looking bewildered. "Bella?" Billy asked. "What happened?"

She looked at all three men and took a calming breath. "Rachel and I got into a bit of an… altercation and I guess her water broke. I'm pretty sure she's in labor now, so Jake's taking her to the clinic."

Paul cupped her face and met her gaze. "Altercation? Shorty, if that bitch hurt you, I swear to god…"

"Paul, I'm fine, really. I'll tell you all about it later, but for now, we need to get to the clinic. Please?"

He frowned but nodded and helped her into the truck before walking around to get behind the wheel. He paused as Billy called out, "Tell Jacob to keep me posted Lahote!"

"Will do," he answered as he put the truck in gear and drove out.

On the way, he glanced at Bella, his expression stony. "Wanna fill me in now?"

She ran a hand through her tangled hair. "It's a long story."

"Yeah well, give me the cliff-notes version," he said while taking her hand.

She looked over. "Long story short, Ang and I came to have lunch with Rachel and she ended up admitting she was raped…"

Paul tensed as his eyes went wide. "Wait! She's not trying to pin that shit on me is she?! Because that's bullshit!"

Bella turned to him and shook her head while clutching his hand. "No! She didn't try to pin it on you, baby, so calm down."

He relaxed a bit and nodded while muttering, "Thank fuck for that at least."

"Anyway," Bella continued, "whoever did it is the baby's father, that much was clear. I tried to talk to her about it after she stormed into her room, we got into it, and she collapsed. Now here we are."

"Raped," he muttered. "Jesus, that's fucked up."

Bella nodded. "Yeah. Kinda explains why she's pissed at the world."

Paul's frown deepened. "I guess," he hedged. "No one deserves that, but I can't say I hate her any less just because I know some of her reasons for being a super bitch."

Bella squeezed his hand. "No, and I understand how you feel."

"Yeah?" he asked, his tone laced with doubt. "Then why exactly are we on our way to the clinic?"

Bella looked down while tracing the veins on the back of his hand with her fingers. "Because I agreed to be in there with her."

"What?! Why?!"

She looked into his eyes, cringing at his glare. "Because she doesn't have anyone else Paul and she's scared."

He scowled, his upper lip curling in disgust. "Cry me a fuckin' river. Look Bella, she might have been raped—and by the way, the jury's still out on that as far as I'm concerned, simply because she's proved herself to be such a fucking liar—but that doesn't mean we should get all involved in her shit!"

"She's all alone Paul!"

He growled. "And whose fault is that?!"

Bella slumped. "Hers."

"Exactly!" He pulled into the clinic parking lot and cut the engine before looking at her. "She's bad news Shorty, and I really don't wanna see you involved with her. I mean, do you really wanna give her the chance to fuck with our lives any more than she already has?"

"No," she admitted, "but there's an innocent baby involved and the part that really bothers me is she doesn't seem to see it that way." She looked into Paul's eyes. "She seems to blame the baby and while I can see why it would be hard for her to love the baby of her rapist, that little one's not at fault. Someone has to be there for _him_ Paul, especially if she's tempted to hurt him or reject him."

He shook his head. "A kid's not a stray you can just take in Bella…"

"No, and I'm not suggesting we even try. I just…I just feel like I need to make sure he's cared for by _someone_ before I can let this go."

"You seem to forget she has a father and a brother right here on the rez. If she fucks up, I'm sure they'll step up for the kid. This is _none_ of our _business_, Bella!"

She simply held his hand and stared at him.

After some moments of her silence, he rubbed at his eyes and shook his head. "God, I curse the fucking day Rachel Black was born," he muttered before meeting Bella's gaze. "Fine, let's go, but I swear to god, after this, no more Bella. She's done too much that I can't forgive her for. I don't want her in my life, not even a little bit."

Bella nodded. "I get it."

"Do you, _really_?" he asked with narrowed eyes.

"Yeah, I do."

"Then why the _hell_ were you there having lunch with her in the first place?"

Bella slumped and stared down at her lap. "I was trying to be a friend to her," she muttered.

"Jesus!" he hissed before glaring at her. "Trying to be her _friend_?! After the _lying bitch_ raked me, balls first, over the fucking coals the way she did? Are you serious?!"

Bella scowled. "I'm sorry, okay? I didn't think…"

"That's right!" he snapped, cutting her off. "You didn't stop to think how I'd feel about that, did you? Well I'll tell you. I feel pretty gutted to be honest. 'Hi, I'm Bella,' he mocked. "You tried to royally fuck over my husband, but that's okay. Can we be friends?" He glared at her. "Really, Bella?"

She held his gaze and the silence stretched until she finally shook her head. "I can't talk to you right now." With that, she opened the door, hopped out and walked into the clinic.

"Fuck!" he spat while slamming a hand on top of the wheel. Running a hand through his hair he muttered, "Just … fuck."

**So...yeah. lol**

**I think you all know my style well enough (by now) to know **

**I don't drag arguments out between these two.**

**Let's face it, fights happen in every relationship,**

**It's life, but it serves no purpose to drag out the drama**

**purely for drama's sake. Still, I wanted Paul to have**

**a voice in all of this, and this chapter is what he had to say. lol**

**Your thoughts?**

**Please review?**

**'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	45. Chapter 45

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and any original characters therein. No copyright infringement intended.

A/N: Adult content in this chapter. Not intended for minors. Love and thanks to all who review. You all are the *breaks out in song* wind beneath my wings! Too much? lol But really, y'all are the shit. No lie. Love and light, ~Spudz

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_Previously:_

_"That's right!" he snapped, cutting her off. "You didn't stop to think how I'd feel about that, did you? Well I'll tell you. I feel pretty gutted to be honest. 'Hi, I'm Bella,' he mocked. "You tried to royally fuck over my husband, but that's okay. Can we be friends?" He glared at her. "Really, Bella?"_

_She held his gaze and the silence stretched until she finally shook her head. "I can't talk to you right now." With that, she opened the door, hopped out and walked into the clinic._

_"Fuck!" he spat while slamming a hand on top of the wheel. Running a hand through his hair he muttered, "Just … fuck."_

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**Chapter 45**

"All right, the pain should be easing by now," Sue said while tucking the sheet and blanket around Rachel's bulging belly. "You should try to rest as much as possible. First labors are usually quite lengthy and you don't wanna wear yourself out since you'll need lots of energy for the pushing phase."

"Oh joy," Rachel sneered.

Sue ignored her and clipped the call button to the hand rail with a smile. "Let me know if you start feeling pain or you need anything, okay?"

Rachel leaned her head back against the pillows with a nod. "I will, thanks."

She closed her eyes as Sue left the room and Angela took that opportunity to grab Bella's hand. "Come on, let's go get something to drink and have a talk."

Bella glanced over at Rachel who cracked an eye open. "Go ahead Swan. I've got my epidural and I'm set, for a while, anyway. You don't need to be here every freaking minute."

Bella took a deep breath and let it out with a nod. "Okay, see you in a bit."

Rachel dismissed her with a flip of a hand and she and Angela walked out, closing the door softly behind them.

Bella froze for a moment at the sight of Paul, arms crossed and a deep frown on his face as he stared at the wall across from him. Jake didn't look any better sitting in the chair beside him, but he did glance up at the girls. "Everything okay in there?" he asked and Angela nodded while giving him a soft smile.

"Yeah. She's comfortable now, but Sue said it could be hours before she's ready to have the baby, so Bella and I thought we'd go to the break room, relax a bit, and get something to drink. Maybe you guys should take off and get something to eat?"

Jake stood and nudged Paul's booted foot. "Come on Lahote. We'll pick up something for the girls while we're at it."

Wordlessly, Paul stood and strode down the hall to the double exit doors and Bella cringed inwardly as she watched him go. Yep, no doubt about it, he was _pissed_.

With a sad smile, Angela nudged her. "Come on, let's get that drink."

With a nod, Bella followed her to the break room and took a seat at the table as Angela opened the fridge. "Let's see…all kinds of soda, water, orange juice, apple juice…" she turned and raised a brow. "Any preference?"

"Apple juice, please," Bella said tiredly.

Angela got the juice and a Pepsi and took a seat at the table. They both opened their drinks and took a sip before Angela released a gusty sigh. "Paul's pissed at you," she said bluntly and Bella looked up, wide-eyed before nodding.

"Yeah, he is."

Angela nodded. "I was afraid of that happening when you decided lunch—aka Bella's rescue mission—with Rachel was a good idea."

Bella frowned down at the table. "What's so bad about wanting to help out someone who obviously needs it?"

Angela's brows shot up. "Bella, come on, really? I may be naive, but even I can see why something like that would go over like a friggin' lead balloon." Bella scowled at her friend who held up a hand. "Don't get me wrong, I also see your point and commend you for it, but sweetie," she leaned forward and took her friend's hand, "sometimes you have to make choices between things that are right - or best - for _you personally_ vs things that are right for those in your extended circle. You get what I'm saying?"

Bella's shoulders sagged and she nodded. "Yeah, I get it."

Angela eyed her for a long moment. "Why are you so determined to get involved in Rachel's life anyway?"

Bella shrugged a shoulder while slowly turning the plastic bottle of juice, her eyes fixed to it as she gathered her thoughts. "At first, I wanted to know what would motivate her to be the way she is. Then I began to feel sorry for her and now, I'm just really worried for the baby." She looked up and met Angela's steady gaze. "I mean, I'm still concerned for Rachel because of all she's been through, but I'm out of my depth there. She needs _way_ more help than I'm equipped to give her, you know?"

Angela nodded slowly and took a sip of soda as she thought about what to say to her friend. She wasn't used to being blunt or confrontational, but she had the feeling she was going to have to be both to her well-meaning, yet interfering friend.

She opened her mouth to speak only to close it again. Then, with a heavy sigh, she met Bella's gaze—expectantly raised brow and all—and dove in. "This is going to be tough for me to say Bella, but…well, you need to butt out of it. This is Black family business. I mean, do you really think Jake and Billy would allow anything to happen to that baby? Because if you do, then you don't know them very well. God knows, _especially_ where Rachel is concerned, Billy has his faults, but he's a loving father and will be a loving grandfather, I'm sure. Plus, he's the Chief of the tribe. He has authority over his people, so even if he wasn't that baby's grandfather, he could make sure it was taken care of."

Anger bubbled up within Bella and she spoke sharply. "You mean the way he protected Paul from the shit he went through when he was a kid?"

Angela's eyes widened at her friend's heated tone and she sat back in her chair before shaking her head. "I don't know the whole story there, but I guess I asked for that."

Bella shook her head, her anger draining away to be replaced by remorse. "No, I'm sorry. You're right, this baby is a completely different situation."

Angela simply nodded. "Billy and Jake will make sure he's taken care of, Bella and I'll help them." She smiled softly. "He won't be left to two clueless bachelors, don't worry. I'm Jake's imprint, remember? And things are going pretty well on that front."

Bella finally smiled at her friend. "Yeah?"

Angela nodded. "Yes," she said concisely, "so that means he'll have his Auntie Ang to raise and love him if his mother decides to flake."

"Good," Bella said with a smile.

Angela's expression sobered and she took Bella's hand again. "Now, let's talk about what that means for you."

Bella's brows inched up. "O…kay."

"You need to leave here with your husband when he gets back. You guys go home, sit down and have a long talk." She released her hand and sat back with a grin. "Then have lots of wild, steamy, make-up sex."

Bella barked out an incredulous laugh. "Angela! Holy shit! You've been hanging around the pack too much! Where's my innocent friend who never would've _thought_ such a thing, much less said it?"

Angela's laughter tapered off and she looked wistful. "That Angela is long gone, I'm afraid."

Bella sobered too, the silence stretching between them until Angela squared her shoulders. "It's okay though," she said with conviction. "There were lots of things I didn't like about her, ya know? And I like the new me. I'm stronger - or at least getting there - so, looking back, I can't say I'd change a thing. This is my life, and I'm determined to make the best of it."

Bella smiled. "I think I like the new you even better too - not that I didn't love the old you, but it's refreshing to see you making your own way on your own feet without cowing to your parent's every whim. I'm proud of you."

"Yeah?" Angela asked. "Then listen to me and get your ass home when your man gets here and let the Blacks handle their problems on their own. We'll be fine and you and Paul will be better for it too."

Bella looked conflicted. "But, I promised Rachel I'd…

Angela held up a hand. "She hardly knows you! She latched on because she's scared and you were a convenient female roughly the same age. Wasn't she in the process of trying to kick your ass when her water broke?"

Bella cringed. "Yeah, she was."

Angela raised a brow. "That doesn't scream 'let's be friends' to me, Bella. I'm sure she'll be fine without you. If she wants a woman besides Sue in there with her, she'll just have to deal with her future sis-in-law."

Bella nodded while peeling the label from her apple juice bottle. "Okay, you've convinced me. I'll go home."

They both looked up at the sound of paper bags crinkling and there was Jake, his arms laden with food bags and one brow cocked. "Leaving?" he asked. "We just got back with the food." He crossed to the table and set everything down before reaching into a bag to grab a fry as his gaze darted between his imprint and Bella.

"Where's Paul?" Bella asked lowly.

Jake popped the fry in his mouth while handing Angela her food. "You mean that _cranky motherfucker_ I just spent a delightful hour with? He's in the waiting area, glaring a hole in the wall again."

Bella drained the rest of her apple juice, stood and threw the bottle in the trash. "Well, I'm gonna head out. Call if there's anything I can do."

Angela looked at her meaningfully. "Thanks, but we'll be fine."

"All right," Bella nodded. "See you guys later." She walked out, and headed down the long hall as dread settled in the pit of her stomach. She hated fighting with Paul, especially when it was over something she'd done.

She turned the corner and spotted him, sitting in the same chair he'd been in earlier. He didn't even look up when she approached, but she squared her shoulders and closed the last few steps between them before stopping in front of him. "Paul?"

"Yeah?" he said without looking at her. She sighed and nudged his knees apart to stand between them as she ran her hands through his hair before cupping his face. "Baby, please look at me?"

He glanced up and she leaned down, placing a soft kiss on his lips. "I'm sorry," she murmured before taking his hand. "Come on," she said as she tugged. "Let's go home."

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The drive was quiet, but he held her hand all the way, so she contented herself with that as she thought about what she would say to him when they finally sat down to talk.

She was so lost in thought that he had to nudge her after he'd turned off the truck. "We're here Bella," he said before opening the door and hopping out. He turned and helped her out and they made their way inside where he toed off his work boots to leave under the bench in the entryway. "I'm gonna go shower," he mumbled before taking the stairs two at a time.

With a sigh, she headed into the kitchen to make dinner. She was sure he'd be hungry since he hadn't eaten since the packed lunch he'd had at the construction site.

It took him a while to come back down so when he finally walked into the kitchen barefooted, bare-chested and wearing low-slung sleep pants, she was pulling the baked chicken out of the oven. "Smells good," he said as he grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge. He set it on the table and grabbed plates and cutlery for the both of them before taking a seat at the table.

"Thanks," she murmured while setting the food on the table. She dished it onto the plates and sat down just looking at him for moments before they both began to eat.

"This is really good," he said with a glance before taking a drink of water.

She swallowed and wiped her lips with a napkin. "I'm glad you like it. There's more if you want it."

He nodded. "Yeah, I'm pretty hungry. Worked my ass off on the job today, but we're done with the framing."

Bella's brows rose. "Wow, so you guys are ahead of schedule then?"

He snorted. "For now, until the rain or snow decides to slam us again."

She nodded, picking at the food on her plate as Paul dished up seconds. "Paul, I'm really sorry. I…"

He held up a hand. "I'd rather get through dinner before having this talk." He met her gaze and she held it a moment before nodding.

"Come on Shorty, you need to eat," he urged when she went back to picking. "We'll talk, I swear, but I just want to eat in peace before we get into it, you know?"

She nodded and did her best to finish her dinner. When there were only a couple of bites left, she stood and scraped the rest into the trash before loading her plate in the dishwasher.

He stood and loaded his own plate in the dishwasher while she cleared the table. When the kitchen was finally clean, he took her hand and led her to the living room where they sat on the couch, facing each other. "So, here we are," he said while watching her closely.

She pulled at a thread on the hem of her shirt and nodded while running a hand over her belly. "This is hard, okay, so I'm just gonna say it. I'm sorry. I—well Angela talked to me and I see your point. I should've considered your feelings first before thinking about what anyone else might need." She glanced up at him. "I should've put you first and I didn't, not that it was a conscious decision on my part. Put simply, I just didn't think."

He looked away and shook his head. "Wow."

Her brow pinched. "Wow, what?"

He looked back at her. "You are _literally_ at the forefront of my mind in _everything_ I do, Bella, so to hear you say you just didn't even think to consider how I'd feel about such a thing… I gotta say, it fucking hurts."

"Paul," she said as her heart squeezed painfully at the look in his eyes, "I didn't—I don't mean it like that. It's just, I'm so secure and content with you that I didn't think it would have such an effect on us, that's all. I didn't mean to make it sound like I didn't care to consider your feelings. That's not it at all." She grabbed his hand and scooted closer to him so their knees were touching. "I love you more than anyone or anything in this world. You _must_ know that?" She reached up and cupped his cheek. "Please tell me you know that."

He scooped her into his lap and tucked his face in her neck, his arms holding her tightly to him as he took in her scent. "Yeah, I do know that. I can feel it." He raised his head and kissed her then sighed. "I guess I'm just a bit touchy over this whole thing, you know? Then there's still this war with the leeches coming up… It's all just…fuck, I'll just be glad when it's all over, Shorty."

She scooted around to straddle his lap before leaning in for a kiss, losing herself for a bit as he slanted his mouth over hers while pulling her even closer.

The baby kicked then and he broke the kiss with a light laugh as he looked down. "This is getting harder now that you're sporting such a beer gut, Shorty."

She gasped a laugh and slapped his shoulder. "You're lucky I'm not very hormonal right now, you ass. I can't believe you said that."

He smirked and buried a hand in her curls. "Baby, come on, you know I'm only kidding. We haven't laughed enough lately. Cut me some slack?" he asked while giving her his best dimpled smile.

She narrowed her eyes. "You know I can't resist that look, Paul Lahote."

He grinned. "That's the point, baby," he said while pulling her close with his hands on her hips. He leaned in and kissed her again and she moaned at the feel of him, hard and ready at her aching center. She pulled back.

"Is this where we get to have hot make-up sex?" She grinned and rolled her hips and he ran his hands over her ass while thrusting gently against her.

"Anything you want, Shorty. I'm up for it," he mumbled through hot, open mouthed kisses on her neck.

With a low moan, she threw her head back while rocking against him. "Well, hurry up and take me to bed," she said before leaning forward to nip at his neck.

With a low growl, he lifted her and took the stairs two at a time shouldering their door open and kicking it closed before lying her in the center of their bed.

Through lazy lidded eyes she watched as he undressed her, his work roughened hands slowly peeling the clothes from her body while his lips left a tingling trail of kisses on the newly exposed skin. "God, you're beautiful," she murmured at the sight of him—all cut muscle and power rolling and flexing under russet skin as he moved, those uniquely bright eyes hooded with lust as he watched her from under thick, inky lashes.

He smirked. "That's my line, baby," he whispered while ridding her of her shirt and bra.

His lips closed over one aching peak of her breast then and she arched into the pleasure of it while burying her hands in his raven strands.

"So good…" she muttered while nudging at the waist of his sleep pants with her toes. "Off…get these off."

With a deep chuckle, he shed them and tossed them away before kissing his way up her leg to her thigh. With gentle hands, he urged her legs apart and she moaned long and low the next second at the feel of his tongue licking languid circles against her clit. "Hmm, oh god," she groaned while fisting the sheet in one hand and his hair with the other, her body writhing as she instinctively rolled her hips against his questing, hot mouth.

With two fingers, he slowly entered her slick heat, drawing a moan from her as they curled and pressed against her g-spot, sending shocks of pleasure radiating throughout her body as she tightened around his plunging digits. "Oh fuck," she cried with a gasp as he coaxed her through it, prolonging her orgasm with a few last swipes of his silky, sinful tongue.

Slowly, he prowled up her body, leaving a trail of kisses in his wake as he covered her.

With eager hands, she circled his shoulders, pulling him into a deep, heated kiss as he settled his lean muscled hips between her spread thighs.

Slowly, she trailed a foot up the back of his thigh, eagerly urging him forward as he slid himself into her.

He groaned as her silken walls gripped him. "Bella…fuck, baby…so tight…so good," he muttered into her neck while setting a slow, rolling pace with his hips as she clung to him.

"Faster…" she panted as her fingers flexed and dug into his shoulders. "Please, Paul…faster…" she begged and he reached down, hitching her leg higher on his hip while picking up his pace. She writhed and cried out, tossing her head back against the pillows as he grunted with every stroke he gave her.

"Fuck, yes!" she screamed, her body gripping him in pulsing waves as she came, milking his release just three strong thrusts later.

He was panting, his forehead resting against her heaving chest just as the doorbell rang and he groaned. "Jesus Bella, your dad has _great_ timing."

"Charlie?!" she squeaked before shoving him to the side to scramble off the bed. He flopped over with a laugh as he watched her rush around to get dressed.

"You have another father I don't know about?"

She shot him a dark look and threw his sleep pants at his head. "Get dressed. If I have to face him just after sex, then so do you."

He sat up on the side of the bed as the doorbell rang again. Slipping into the pants, he stood and pulled them up. "You recall that we're married, right? I'm sure Charlie _is_ aware that married couples have sex, Shorty."

She narrowed her eyes at him while buttoning her shirt. "_Never_ mention Charlie and sex in the same sentence again, Paul Lahote. Not if you ever wanna get laid again."

He shot her a smirk. "You'd never last, baby," he said smugly. "I'd give you a week, tops."

She eyed his bare, muscled chest and bit her lip. "Fuck. Yeah, you got me there." She grabbed his hand as he laughed and tugged him from the room and down the stairs as an impatient knock sounded. "Coming!" she yelled out and Paul snickered.

"Shut it, you," she grumbled while trying to tame her tousled hair before yanking the door open. "Dad! Lisa! Hi!"

Charlie narrowed his eyes at Paul as Lisa walked in and hugged Bella. "We catch you at a bad time?" Charlie asked while eyeing his flustered daughter.

"Nope," Bella quipped. "We were just…talking. Come on in and have a seat," she said while taking their coats to hang by the door. "Can I get you anything?"

"Coffee would be great," Charlie said while ushering is wife to the living room. They took seats on the couch as Bella hurried to the kitchen. Paul kissed his mother's cheek as she greeted him. "Hi baby."

He smiled. "I'm gonna go grab a shirt and I'll be right back."

"Bella, you need any help?" Lisa called out and Bella peeked around the door frame, her eyes wide.

"Nope, I'm good." She ducked back in, rushing around to get the coffee going before calling out, "So, what brings you guys by, not that you're not welcome."

Charlie shared a knowing look with Lisa before chuckling. "We just came to see how you two were doing. Haven't seen you for a while and we wanted to make sure you're okay."

Bella peeked out again, a wide smile on her face. "We're good." She ducked back in to set up everything on a tray and carried it out, setting it on the coffee table just as Paul walked back in and took a seat.

He pulled her into his lap as Lisa sat forward to pour the coffee. "So, we hear that Rachel Black is in labor?"

Paul tensed and Bella rubbed the arm he had draped over her waist while answering. "Yeah, we got her to the clinic earlier and then came home. I haven't heard anything since, but Angela said she'd keep us posted."

Charlie smirked behind the rim of his cup. "I'm gonna have to stop by and give Billy a hard time. Grandpa…I can't believe it."

Lisa gave him a nudge to the ribs. "You're not gonna be too far behind, remember?"

The doorbell rang again and Paul patted Bella who moved to let him up. "It's Rudy," he said before leaving the room.

Bella went to grab another cup from the kitchen and walked back in just as Paul and Rudy entered. "Coffee, D?" she asked before settling back in Paul's lap.

He kissed Lisa's cheek and took the other chair before nodding. "Sure, sounds good. It's cold as balls out there," he said while pouring a cup. He stirred in a few spoons of sugar and leaned back with a grin as he looked around. "Well, this is quite the gathering." He scented the air and smirked as Paul scowled at him. "And what timing, too!" He laughed and Bella threw a pillow at his head, muttering 'asshole' before shooting a guilty look at her father.

Steadfastly ignoring the obvious, Charlie cleared his throat and looked at Paul while Lisa stifled a chuckle.

"Any news on the whole vampire thing?"

Paul shook his head. "We haven't heard anything new from the locals. Their leader says they really can't interact with us until after their psychic sees what she needs to." He shrugged. "From what he tells us, we block her visions, or some shit, so we wait until she sees something solid."

"Huh," Charlie said. "That's frustrating."

Paul nodded. "It is, but there's not much we can do besides patrol and take out any leeches we find as they show up. So far it's only been a single scout here and there."

Rudy grinned. "Leah and I took one out last night, nasty fucker."

Lisa shivered. "It's scary to think how close they keep getting to the residential areas. Are you guys sure you're safe here?"

Paul looked affronted. "They wouldn't dare attack when I'm here and when I'm not, there's always a wolf patrolling the house."

Lisa nodded and leaned against Charlie. "Good. Just know, if you need to move back to our house for a while, it's more than fine with us."

Bella smiled and laid her head against Paul's shoulder. "Thanks Lisa."

Rudy set his cup aside. "So, the new doc bought himself a house and moved his girlfriend in."

Lisa's eyes widened. "He's serious then? He's gonna reject the imprint?"

Paul scoffed. "Can you blame the guy?"

Charlie rubbed his forehead while Bella shook her head sadly. "How's that gonna work though? I thought it was irresistible?"

"It isn't," Paul answered. "Nothing really dictates the _type_ of relationship the wolf has to have with an imprint, and if he keeps his distance, he shouldn't have a problem."

"Yeah," Rudy added. "The elders are quick to insist the wolves have to instantly mate with imprints, but if you read the lore, that's not how it is at all. Many of our spirit ancestors had wives that weren't an imprint."

Bella glanced at Rudy. "So, no one's gonna tell Rachel?"

"That's completely up to Lucas," Paul said, "and I don't see him telling her shit any time soon. He goes out of his way to avoid her."

Rudy nodded. "He has the support of Jacob Black too which is good since her father is the Chief and could be a pain in the ass about it if he wanted to."

"Billy won't," Charlie piped in. "We've talked about it and he's agreed to stay out of it."

"I wonder what she'll do once the baby's born," Lisa muttered.

"I don't think she wants to keep the baby," Bella muttered and Lisa looked at her with wide eyes.

"Really? What makes you say that?"

Bella shrugged. "It's really not my place to give details," she said carefully, "but from what she's said, that's the impression I get. Maybe she'll change her mind once she sees and holds him."

Lisa looked at Charlie. "We should probably get all that baby stuff over to Billy's place."

He nodded. "We'll do it tomorrow."

The doorbell rang again and Paul went to answer it. When he walked back in, Sam was trailing him, a grave look on his face as Paul resumed his seat and settled Bella on his lap again. "Hi Sam," Bella greeted. "What's up? Everything okay?"

He blew out a breath and gazed around at everyone before looking at Paul. "I just thought you should hear this from me and as soon as possible. The Cullen's leader called me just minutes ago. Their psychic finally got a solid vision."

"And?" Paul asked, his body tense as Bella clutched his hand.

"We have a month."

**Your thoughts?**

**Please review.**

**'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	46. Chapter 46

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and any original characters therein. No copyright infringement intended.

A/N: We're getting close to the end! What a ride. Thanks for coming along with me. Now, the question I have for all of you is: Will we make the 3000 review milestone? I gotta admit, I hope so! I'll be sincerely honored if we do! Hope you enjoy the chapter. Light and love, ~Spudz

P.S. You may want to read this chapter carefully or you may miss something vital to the upcoming chapter and thus the ultimate outcome of the story.

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* * *

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_Previously:_

_"Hi Sam," Bella greeted. "What's up? Everything okay?"_

_He blew out a breath and gazed around at everyone before looking at Paul. "I just thought you should hear this from me and as soon as possible. The Cullen's leader called me just minutes ago. Their psychic finally got a solid vision."_

_"And?" Paul asked, his body tense as Bella clutched his hand._

_"We have a month."_

_._

* * *

_._

**Chapter 46**

"You made the call?"

Jasper sat back in his office chair and nodded as Carlisle entered and closed the door to his study. "Yeah, I did. Spoke to Sam and he said he'd take care of tellin' everyone else, including the elders."

Carlisle eased into the chair across from the desk. "Well, at least you only had to make the one call."

Jasper chuckled ruefully. "Yeah, it's all kinds a' fun being the bearer of bad news."

Carlisle smirked. "Comes with the job description, I'm afraid."

Jasper side-eyed him. "I reckon." He toyed with the phone lying on the desk. "Have they all had the vaccine yet?"

Carlisle frowned. "No, and now that we have a dead-line, I think we need to step things up a bit. I'll have to speak with Lucas first thing in the morning."

Jasper nodded. "Bet they'll love that."

Carlisle shrugged a shoulder. "It's a necessary evil and they need time to recover before even thinking of fighting."

"We should probably offer to patrol the reservation while the rest of the pack are down with the vaccine. Can you and Lucas manage more than two of 'em at a time?"

Carlisle cringed. "It'll be tough, the first day especially, but I believe we can. We really have little choice in the matter."

"True." He pocketed the phone and met Carlisle's gaze. "How's Edward doing with Jessica?"

Carlisle raised a brow. "You haven't heard?" he asked dryly.

Jasper bit back a snort. He'd heard plenty coming out of Edward's room, all of it sounding pretty destructive, even the sex. "I was hoping you could elaborate beyond crashes, grunts and moans," he said through a smirk.

"She's a handful, but improving, especially with feeding and bloodlust. Although, Edward is up in arms over the state of his music collection—or what used to be his music collection, but overall, from what he's told me, they're learning to live with each other."

Jasper chuckled. "From the sporadic waves of lust coming outta there, it seems he's getting _some_ enjoyment out of the deal."

"Oh, to be sure," Carlisle agreed with a chuckle.

"I can hear you, you know, and I can't say I appreciate it!" Edward called out, the irritation obvious in his tone as Jessica simpered and pawed at him in the background.

To Jasper's amusement, Carlisle rolled his eyes, making him look the twenty-three year old that he'd been turned as. "Don't be so sensitive, Edward. We all put up with lack of privacy. Now it's your turn."

They heard him huff and then the sounds of tearing clothes and whimpers, causing them both to tune out as much as possible.

"Do you think we need to train for this upcoming fight?" Carlisle asked, smoothly changing the subject.

Jasper nodded. "Every little bit helps, especially considering who we're up against this time. The Volturi, as you know, are considerably more skilled than a bunch of newborns. I've called Peter and Charlotte and was even thinking of callin' Garrett."

"I hope the wolves don't object."

Jasper shrugged. "Long as they agree not to feed in the area, the wolves should be grateful for the help. It's gonna be one hell of a fight, Carlisle. None of us can afford to be picky if we wanna make it through this."

A gusty sigh left the blond doctor's lips. "True enough." He side-eyed Jasper and smirked. "I'm just glad it's you that has to impart that bit of wisdom."

Jasper quirked a brow. "You're enjoyin' skating by the heavy stuff, aren't you?"

"Yes," he said with a grin. "Yes, I am." He rose from his chair and patted Jasper on the shoulder. "I think I'll go see if my beautiful wife is up to a hunt. Enjoy the rest of your evening, oh fearless leader."

"Yeah, thanks."

Shortly after Carlisle left, the door opened and Alice poked her head in. "You busy?"

He chuckled and set aside the paper he'd been reading. "Never too busy for you, and shouldn't you know that anyway?"

She grinned and let herself in, coming to settle herself on his lap when he held his arms open. "Yes, but it never hurts to ask. I don't see everything, you of all people should know that."

"True," he said before placing a kiss on her head. "So, is this visit purely pleasure, or did you need to speak with me about something?"

She laid her head on his shoulder. "While pleasure isn't out of the picture, I wanted to share some information I got just before you made the call to the wolves."

He frowned. "New stuff, huh? Hope I didn't screw things up by calling them too soon."

She kissed his jaw and shook her head. "No, I don't think you did. I must say though, the last few visions I got were…weird."

His arms tightened around her. "You're not making me feel better about _any_ of this, Ali."

"Oh honey, I'm sorry. If it makes you feel better, I didn't see any of our family being truly harmed." She pulled back to see his face. "It's just…" she rubbed her brow, "the ultimate outcome of all of this… Well," she said with a bit of a cringe, "I see you and Carlisle ruling beside Marcus when everything's said and done."

Jasper nearly choked on air. "What?!"

She met his gaze squarely before giving him a slow nod. "I'm not kidding, Jay. And more than that, I got a vision where an old Indian woman spoke to me directly. It was more a...message than a vision of the future, and that's never happened before.

"She told me we need to be ready to leave this place for good at the end of the battle because many things were going to change." Alice rubbed her temples. "She was so damn cryptic, but I felt it was important to listen to her—not just for us, but for the Quileute people too."

"Is that all she said?"

"She said that many things that _are_, will be _undone_, and that our continued presence here would hinder the changes. And that no matter what happens at the end of the battle, no matter how tempting it may be for some of us to stay and help, we cannot. We must leave. She was very adamant on that point."

He blinked and stared out the window for a moment before nodding. "You feel it's right to listen to her?" He met her gaze and knew the answer before she gave it.

"I do, Jay."

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Then that's what we'll do, sugar. Get the others together so I can break it to them. We have arrangements to make and not a whole lot of time to get them done."

She rose from his lap, leaned over and kissed him. "Consider it done."

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Angela watched as the nurse expertly wrapped the baby boy in a thermal blanket before offering him to his mother. Her brow pinched in concern however, when Rachel turned her head away, refusing to so much as look at him as Sue finished up stitching the episiotomy she'd had to make in order to ease the baby's delivery. She'd had to use vacuum extraction since Rachel was less than enthusiastic in pushing. Angela was just thankful the baby came through it all okay.

"Don't you want to hold him, Miss Black?" the nurse asked.

"No," Rachel said, her tone cold as she waved a hand. "Take it to the nursery or something. I don't want anything to do with it."

"Here," Angela spoke up, meeting Sue's sad, fleeting gaze. "Give him to me. I'll take him out to meet his family."

The nurse glanced at Sue who nodded and she handed the baby to Angela who cradled the small bundle to her chest before smiling down into the tiny face. He blinked back at her through puffy, dark blue eyes. "Hi little man. I'm your Auntie Angela. Let's go meet your Grandpa and Uncle Jake, yeah?"

She stroked his warm, chubby cheek and he turned his head, his tiny lips parting in search of food. The nurse chuckled. "Go on out there. I'll bring our little baby bird a bottle so you can feed him."

"Thanks," Angela murmured as she pushed through the door and into the hall where everyone waited. Jake's head snapped up and he stood as she approached with a soft smile.

"Meet your nephew."

He ran a fingertip over the baby's brow. "He's so tiny."

Angela grinned up at him. "Six pounds, eight ounces and 19 inches long." She shifted the baby, her hand under his head as she held him out. "Here, bend your arm…yeah, just like that," she coached as Jake blinked wide eyes at her. With a rueful chuckle, she laid the baby in the crook of his arm. "It's okay, Jake. You need to be careful, but he won't shatter from holding him. Sit down and show your Dad."

He did and Billy looked over eagerly. "He's beautiful," he murmured while moving the blanket away from his grandson's cheek. He looked up at Angela. "Rachel? How is she?"

A frown flitted across Angela's features before she could stifle it. "She's fine. She'll be a bit sore, but Sue said everything went well. She should be up and about in a day or so."

Billy nodded and focused back on the baby. "Good, good…" he muttered before looking back up. "Did she name him yet?"

Angela let out a gusty breath and sank into a chair, shaking her head. "No, she refused to even look at him. Told the nurse to 'take it away.' I'm afraid this is all gonna be up to you and Jake." Jake's eyes went wide and Billy looked stricken even as he nodded slowly.

"I was afraid of that, with the way she'd been acting and talking the past few days…" He sighed and looked back at the baby. "We'll manage…somehow. We always do."

"I'll help you, you know?" Billy's head snapped up and she smiled softly. "I've given this a lot of thought. I'm there anyway, you guys have been so good to me… I won't abandon my two favorite bachelors especially when there's a new baby to raise."

Billy smiled and Jake leaned over and kissed her. "Thank you, baby. You're the best."

She smirked. "Just remember that when it's your turn to change a stinky diaper."

Jake groaned and Billy laughed. "Welcome to the world of parenting, son."

Jake looked down at the warm bundle he held, his heart already stolen by the tiny being that blinked up at him. "We'll be all right, with or without your mommy, kid. We'll be all right." He placed a kiss on the tiny brow. "I won't let you down."

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XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

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The sky was just beginning to lighten when Rudy and Leah shuffled through the back door of Sam and Emily's house. "Coffee," Rudy grumbled, not appreciating being summoned to a meeting this early in the morning.

Rolling her eyes, Leah shoved him into a chair and went to fill two mugs from the huge urn on the counter as Emily finished up making enough breakfast to feed a small country.

Embry stumbled in from the living room, his jaw cracking as he yawned before slumping into a chair. He side-eyed Sam as Emily placed a steaming cup of coffee in front of him. "Thanks," he mumbled while spooning mounds of sugar into the brew. "So, what's so important we had to be here at the ass-crack of dawn?"

Sam shook his head. "Wait till everyone's here. I hate repeating myself."

Embry nodded and took a pull from his cup. "Breakfast smells good," he muttered and Emily shot him a smile as Quil, Brady and Collin joined them.

"Coffee?" she offered the sleepy teens. Quil nodded while Brady and Collin wrinkled their noses.

"Got any Red Bull?" Brady asked looking hopeful. She frowned but pointed to the fridge. "In there, but you can only have one. Too much of that crap's not good for you."

Brady grinned as he grabbed two and tossed one to Collin. "Worried it'll stunt our growth?"

Emily rolled her eyes at the six foot tall fourteen year old. Both he and Collin had shot up and filled out since their first phase and were very proud of that fact. Still, they were growing boys and she wasn't going to let them get away with any shit on her watch. "Yes," she muttered, "of the mental variety. Now, sit down and eat," she ordered while placing platters of hot food on the table with a stack of plates. She pointed at them with a wooden spoon. "And mind your manners."

The two eyed their Alpha before mumbling "Yes Ma'am," while carefully loading their plates.  
Jake stumbled in, looking bleary eyed and was quickly followed by Bella and Paul, who, in contrast, looked well rested. They all took seats and Emily placed clean cups and a bottle of juice in front of them while shooting Jake a sympathetic look. "Everything go okay, Jake?"

He blinked and gave her a smile as Bella got coffee for him and Paul before taking her seat. "Yeah, she had a little boy." A frown marred his features as he stirred sugar into his cup. "Rachel rejected him, but no surprises there. Angela's been great though. She knows all about babies from helping with her little brothers, so I think we'll be fine."

"So, Rachel's not planning to stick around?" Bella asked.

He scoffed and shook his head. "Nope. After seeing the kid, I went in to talk to her while Ang stayed with Dad and fed the baby. She made it clear that as soon as she's able, she's leaving. She even signed the kid over to Dad." He sat back and sighed. "We still have to come up with a name for him."

"Is that where Ang is?" Bella asked.

"He swallowed a gulp of coffee and nodded. "Yeah, I dropped her by the clinic before coming over here. If everything checks out with the kid, I'll pick them both up later and take them home."

"Lisa and Charlie said they were going to bring you guys a bunch of baby stuff sometime today. A crib and changing table…stuff like that."

"That'll be great," he said while toying with his cup. "We have nothing so far. Frankly, I was sweating it."

Paul patted his shoulder. "We got your back, man. Don't worry. Just get the kid home and we'll get what you need."

"Thanks man."

"What kind of formula's he on?"

Jake's eyes widened as he looked at Bella. "Uh, some white, nasty smelling shit." Sam chuckled and Jake sighed. "I really have no idea. Call Ang. She'll know."

Bella smirked at the slightly panicked look on his face. "I'll do that."

Jared showed up with a weary looking Seth trailing after him. "Okay," Sam said. "Everybody who wants to eat, grab some food. I'll fill you all in over breakfast."

They all loaded plates and began eating and Sam took one last swig from his coffee before speaking. "Last night, I heard from the Cullens. Their seer says we have a month until the final battle. This morning, I spoke with Lucas who's insisting—along with Dr. Fang—that we step up the vaccinations so we have time to recover before the fight. I've agreed to let the Cullens help with patrolling the rez while the rest of us are down with the vaccine. They'll be running the perimeter only, unless they need to pursue a hostile leech.

"So, all those who haven't had the vaccine yet, you're to report to the clinic later today. Be prepared to stay for two, probably three days. For those who're still in school, Chief Black will take care of your absences."

"Shit," Jake muttered as he, Rudy, Leah, Collin, and Brady stared at Sam, their faces a few shades lighter than normal. They'd heard what it was like and weren't looking forward to it.

Jared, Embry, Quil and Seth smirked. "Have fun, kiddies," Jared quipped, having gone through it already. He looked a bit smug until he caught the glare his Alpha leveled him with.

"Jared, you and Paul will be in charge while I'm down. Don't screw it up. Paul, you're in charge at the job site. Get as much done as you can while the decent weather holds out."

Paul nodded and swallowed his last bite of breakfast. "I think we'll have the roof done by the end of today. At least that way, if it rains or snows, it won't fuck up the work we've already done."

Sam nodded and finished his coffee. "Sounds good. All right," he said, his heavy gaze sweeping the rest of them. "Finish eating, clean up after yourselves and head out. I'll see you five at the clinic."

They nodded gravely before moving to follow orders.

Sam stopped Jared with a hand on his arm. "You need to call Jasper to coordinate a patrol schedule. I'm counting on you."

Jared nodded. "I won't let you down." He clapped Sam on the back. "Good luck with the vaccine."

Sam bit back a grimace. "Thanks."

Paul kissed Bella. "I'll see you after work."

She ran her fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck. "You need a haircut," she murmured and he smirked and pulled her close.

"You can give me one later. I'll even tip you."

She raised a brow while staring up at him. "Really? It better be worth it, Lahote."

He grinned wickedly. "Oh, it will be, baby." Leaning down, he murmured in her ear. "I'll have you screaming my name, Shorty. Just wait and see."

Leah scoffed and smacked the back of Paul's head. "Keep it clean. None of us wanna picture your naked ass the rest of the day."

Paul kissed Bella before turning to Leah with a smirk. "Jealousy doesn't look good on you, Leah."

She rolled her eyes as Rudy wound his arm around her waist. "You wish." She turned to Bella as Paul left. "You need a ride home?"

"No, Lisa promised to pick me up later to go shopping for the baby. Diapers, formula, onesies, linens…the basics for now. Thanks though. And good luck with the whole vaccine thing."

"Thanks. From the sounds of it, I'll need it."

Rudy kissed her head. "We'll be fine, baby."

"Sure," she said, not sounding convinced at all. "See you guys later."

Everyone shuffled out and Bella helped Emily clean up from breakfast. When they were through, they took seats at the table over cups of hot tea. "So, Rachel rejected the baby," Emily murmured with a shake of her head. "I just don't understand how a mother could do that."

Bella sighed. "I can't tell you much because it's not my place, but just know there are extenuating circumstances."

Emily nodded.

"I'm just glad the Blacks are going to care for him as a family," Bella said while cupping the mug with both hands. "Angela too. She's really stepped up, but then she's always had a heart of gold."

"I don't know her that well yet, but what I've gotten to know, I really like. She seems really good for Jake."

Bella hummed her agreement before taking a sip of tea.

Lisa knocked on the door then and walked in, smiling brightly. "Hi girls. Ready to go?"

With answering smiles, they rose and put their mugs in the sink. "Sure, let's do this," Bella said.

Lisa placed her arm around her daughter-in-law's shoulders and hugged her close. "It's good practice, right?"

Bella rubbed her belly as they walked to the car. "It is and god knows, after having Renee as a mother, I need all I can get.

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XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

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Bella unlocked the door, turning to wave when Lisa beeped the car horn before walking in and locking the door behind her. With a tired sigh, she toed her shoes off and trudged upstairs to take a quick shower. Paul would be home soon and after the tiring day she'd had, she really just wanted to curl up with him on the couch.

But first, she needed to wash off the day and get comfortable.

She'd just dried off and dressed in some yoga pants and one of Paul's old shirts when she heard the front door close.

Padding down the stairs, she peeked into the entry way to see him toeing off his work boots while holding a pizza box. He smiled and waggled it. "Knew you'd be tired so I brought dinner."

"I knew I loved you for a reason," she said while snatching the pizza.

He arched a brow. "Sure, grab the pizza and don't even kiss me."

She waved a hand on her way to the kitchen. "You're all sweaty and dirty. Go shower. I'll keep this warm in the oven and I promise you a kiss once you're clean."

"Yep, the honeymoon's over," he muttered on his way up the stairs and she laughed.

Twenty minutes later, she was standing at the counter, preparing a quick salad when strong arms circled her waist and warm lips dropped light kisses against her neck. "You know, there was a time when you liked me all sweaty."

She grinned and turned in his arms. "That was a different kind of sweat."

He raised a brow. "There are different kinds of sweat?"

She raised up on her toes and kissed his neck. "Most definitely, Lahote. I'll be happy to show you after dinner."

He groaned and picked her up, setting her on an open space of the counter while slanting his lips over hers in a heated kiss. "Can't the food wait?"

She nipped his bottom lip and laughed. "No, it'll be pizza jerky by the time we're finished. I know you."

He sucked on that tender spot just under her ear, drawing a shiver of delight from her. "Can't help if I like being buried in you, Shorty. You're my happy place."

She snorted a laugh. "Great, now I have a picture of a kids fast food playground in my mind. Thanks for that."

He waggled his brows. "Care to play in my ball pit?"

She smacked his shoulder as he snickered. "Ew, no…just, no. Now, help me down so we can eat."

With a sigh, he helped her down before grabbing a beer from the fridge. He cracked the top off and took a swig before leaning against the counter. "So, get all the baby crap done?"

She side-eyed him while pulling the pizza from the oven. "Yeah, they should be set for a while."

He nodded and helped her plate the food before taking a seat at the table. "Anything interesting happen?"

She sighed while topping their salads with dressing. "Well, Rachel showed up, packed all her stuff, called a cab and left."

His brows shot up and he swallowed a sip of beer. "For good?"

"Seemed like it to me. She'd gotten her first assistance check, so she had plenty of money in her pocket—for the moment anyway—so she took off."

"Good," he muttered while picking up his fork. "One less thing to watch my back over."

Bella placed her fork down and leveled him with a look. "I spoke with Lisa earlier…"

He groaned and hung his head. "This can't possibly be good."

She narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms. "It's not necessarily bad either."

He nodded and glanced up through his lashes. "Okay. What did you two talk about?"

"We think you should go through with the paternity test anyway, just to dispel any lingering doubt some people may have."

He scowled. "Our esteemed Chief Black, you mean?"

She took his hand. "He didn't say anything. No one has, but the seeds of doubt are there and _will_ be until you prove otherwise."

"Fine, I'll do it, just to get this particular monkey off my back for good," he grumbled while picking up his pizza to take a bite.

She smiled brightly. "Thank you, honey."

He swallowed and arched a brow. "Anything for you, dear," he said, his tone mocking.

Her brows inched up. "Keep that up and you won't get laid later."

He smiled smugly and she frowned. "Wanna bet, Shorty?"

She stabbed viciously at a piece of lettuce. "Damn hormones."

He laughed and took a huge bite of pizza, amusement dancing in those hazel eyes that she couldn't ever hope to resist.

He knew it too.

The ass.

After they'd cleaned up from dinner, they curled up on the couch and flipped on the TV. "Anything in particular you wanna watch?" he asked while clicking through the guide.

She blinked as he scrolled through faster than she could focus. "How am I supposed to choose anything when you're speed clicking, Lahote? And don't think I didn't manage to notice you're speeding through all the channels I happen to like."

He sighed and slowed down. "Better?"

She smiled and snuggled next to him. "Much. Oooh! Steel Magnolias!"

He cringed. "Really? It makes you cry every time. Why do women insist on watching sappy shit that makes them cry?"

She grabbed the remote and turned off the TV before straddling his lap. "Whoa, beer gut, Shorty," he said, patting her baby bump. "Be careful."

She narrowed her eyes at him before leaning forward to kiss and nip his neck. "Ow, shit, watch the aggression, woman. I'm sensitive," he grumbled while his hands roamed around to knead her ass.

She laughed against his skin. "Sensitive, my ass."

"You say your ass is sensitive?" He smirked. "Let's explore this, shall we?"

With that, he stood from the couch, lifting her in his arms to carry her up stairs, never missing a beat as they kissed the whole way up. "What about Steel Magnolias?" He mumbled into their kiss.

She ground herself against him and nipped his lip. "Fuck Steel Magnolias."

He laid her on the bed and began stripping her clothes with a dimpled smirk. "I'd rather fuck you, thanks."

"Put up or shut up, Lahote," she said while peeling her shirt off.

"Oh, I'll put up, baby. I distinctly remember saying I'd have you screaming. Do you recall?" he asked while shucking his sleep pants."

She eyed him and he grinned at the feral look in her eyes as he climbed on the bed to loom over her. "So far all you've done is talk," she said dryly.

"Is that a challenge?" he said before kissing her breathless. She panted and arched as he sucked in a nipple.

"Take it how you want it," she breathed while burying both hands in his hair.

He kissed his way over to her other breast and mumbled "Okay then," before engulfing the aching peak in his hot mouth while his fingers swiped through her folds, gathering her natural slickness to glide over her clit.

She hooked a leg over his hip while letting the other fall to the side, opening herself to him fully. "More, Lahote. Quit teasing and get busy."

He laughed and flicked her nipple with his tongue. "Yes ma'am."

He buried two long fingers in her slick heat as he kissed his way down her body and she moaned, low and long when he curled those fingers, expertly finding that special place inside her that made her speak in unknown tongues.

"Oh Jesus…unff…fuck, yes…" she babbled just as his lips sucked in her clit, the tip of his tongue doing things to her that should be illegal.

Pressing and massaging that spot inside her, he flicked his tongue over her swollen bud and she tightened her hold in his hair, her legs shaking as her hips rocked into his face. "Oh my god…oh my god…yes, right there…yes!" she cried as her first orgasm ripped through her.

With his fingers still buried deep inside her, he prolonged her orgasm almost to the point of pain. Needless to say, she was screaming by the time he pulled his fingers out to kiss his way back up to her lips.

She returned his kiss without reservation, nipping and sucking only to open to him again, their tongues playing together as his cock glided through her slick folds.

He broke the kiss and she panted, trying to catch her breath as he guided her up to face the headboard. Gently, reverently, his hands smoothed down her arms where he laced his fingers with hers to guide her hands to the top of the headboard. "You know the drill, Shorty," he breathed hotly against the dewy skin of her neck. "Don't let go."

With a shiver of anticipation, she nodded and gripped the top of the board, crying out in sheer delight when she felt him enter her from behind. "Oh fuck, Paul…" she moaned with a toss of her head.

"That's me, Shorty," he panted while driving into her as hard as he dared, his hands firmly holding her shapely hips as every stroke jolted her body. He growled as she tightened around him, another orgasm washing over her as he fucked her. "Oh god…" she keened while pushing back against his thrusts. "More, give me more…"

His pace picked up and she rocked her body into him, her knuckles white as she gripped the head board, sounds and syllables that didn't belong to any language now leaving her lips as her head tossed wildly.

"Scream for me, Bella. I wanna hear you," he demanded as her walls gripped his cock yet again. He wanted to get one more orgasm out of her before he came and he growled and gritted his teeth, guttural grunts leaving him with every stroke he gave her.

"Fuck, Paul!" she cried as a blinding orgasm gripped her, spiraling from her center to warm and numb her simultaneously as her legs shook and threatened to collapse.

"Jesus, so fucking tight…" he ground out while thrusting erratically four more times as he allowed himself to come. Falling forward as he pulsed inside her, his hands gripped the board beside hers as he panted to catch his breath. "Fuck, Shorty…" he said before kissing her shoulder.

She hummed and turned her head to capture his lips in a slow, languid kiss. "Fucking perfect," she mumbled into the kiss as he slipped from her body.

He tugged her down beside him and covered them both with the sheet as she rested her head on his chest.

She licked and sucked on his nipple and pointed at the light sheen of sweat that covered him. "You see that?"

He glanced down with an arched brow. "Yeah."

She grinned up at him. "_That _my love, is the good kind of sweat."

**Your thoughts?**

**Please review.**

**'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	47. Chapter 47

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and any original characters therein. No copyright infringement intended.

A/N: Been a while. My apologies. I could say more, but it would be so much blah, blah, blah, right? lol If you're still out there reading, it'd be great to hear from you, especially to keep me rolling on this story. Light and love, ~Spudz

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**Chapter 47**

**A/N: I just want to take a moment to thank Guest reviewer from Aug. 17th. I've had a lot of crap going on in real life that's sort of taken the wind out of my writing sails, but reading (and re-reading) your amazing review (and those from a few others) has helped me push past it, and for that, you have my sincere thanks and appreciation.**

Carefully, Bella spread the blanket she'd brought in the center of the clearing she loved to visit—the one where she always seemed to see the white wolves.

She'd been feeling unsettled for a few days now, and she knew it was more than the impending war making her feel this way.

It was almost like a draw—something tugging at her soul, and now that she was here in the clearing, she knew she'd been right, for she felt at peace, or at least settled, for the first time in days. With care, she lowered herself, crossed her legs and settled in the center of the blanket. "Okay," she muttered while peering around at the surrounding forest, "I'm here. What now?"

Nothing happened for a few moments—no wolves, no old woman, no voices speaking from beyond the trees—so she blew into her cupped hands and tugged her heavy coat closer before tucking her hands up into the sleeves. Then she frowned. "All right, not funny. Do you know how hard it was getting away from everyone so I could be here alone? And god forbid if Paul finds out…" She peered around, listening intently. Still, there was nothing and no one. "Come on!" she finally groused. "I know I'm not crazy. I felt the call, or pull, or whatever the hell it was, and now you're a no show?"

A low chuckle that seemed to come from everywhere at once startled her, and she whipped her head around, searching for the source. When she finally saw him standing at the edge of the clearing behind her, she placed a hand over her racing heart and blew out a breath. "Damn it, you scared me."

He smiled softly and adjusted the furs that draped his body before joining her on the blanket. "Daughter," he greeted with a regal nod, his blue-black hair sliding over his shoulders as he settled in front of her.

She noted the way his eyes—so like those of her husband's—sparkled with warmth and approval as he gazed at her for a moment.

He reached out and took her hand in his much larger one and she nearly shivered as a shadow entered his eyes. "Trying times are ahead of you, daughter, but you must have faith. Sorrow will shadow your soul, and that of your mate's, but its time will be short. This must be so, for your future and that of our people."

Her brow creased and she swallowed hard. "I gotta say, you're scaring me. I mean, haven't we been through enough—Paul and me?" She scowled. "And we still have this battle coming up…" She shook her head and met his patient gaze again. "When do we get a break? When do we get to live our lives like normal people do?"

He gently squeezed her hand. "Have faith daughter. You have great inner strength. Now is not the time to falter or doubt yourself."

She looked down and nodded. "Fine…" she said with a heavy breath. "It's hard though, especially when I don't know what's coming." She looked up at him. "Is it the battle? Is Paul gonna be hurt again? Is that what I need to be strong over?"

He smiled softly. "The battle is yet to be fought, young one. I cannot say."

She raised a brow. "I really wish you elder types weren't always so damn cryptic. Would it kill you to be straight-forward for once?" She sighed and rubbed her brow. "If I thought it'd do any good I'd yell and scream at you. Hell, I still may. It'd make me feel better, anyway."

He chuckled and the corners of her lips curled into a tiny smile, despite her frustration. She hummed in resignation. "So, is that all I need to hear?" she asked with a raised brow.

"No," he said as he touched her cheek fondly. "You need to be at the battle."

Her brows shot up and she scoffed a laugh. "You're joking, right? Have you met Paul? You know, my mate, tends to explode into a huge wolf with a nasty temper? He's dead set against me being anywhere near it. And when you think about it, he's right. It's not like I have super strength. I can't fight these things, so what good is it for me to be there?"

"You will not fight, but your presence will protect our warriors from the one who numbs the senses."

"The red eyed vamps have someone who can numb the senses? Are you talking sight, sound, feeling…what?"

"Yes."

She blinked and looked into the distance. "Shit… Yeah, that's not scary at all." She breathed deeply and squared her shoulders as she met his gaze. "Just how the hell am I supposed to stop something like that? Last time I checked, I came from planet earth and didn't possess any super powers."

He chuckled and patted her hand. "Have faith, daughter."

She nodded while muttering, "Have faith…super…" With a shake of her head, she resolved to go ahead and trust him. He'd yet to steer her wrong, after all, plus he had that whole 'Ancient Spirit Guide' thing going for him…

"Don't suppose you have any clever ideas of how to get around the tiny problem of my over-protective mate?"

"Ask the cold one—the medicine man."

"Carlisle?"

"Yes. Explain things to him and he will help you."

"There's no way Paul will agree to this."

Taha Aki inclined his head. "He will not. You will have to do this without his knowledge."

Her eyes widened. "Do you have any idea how pissed off he'll be? How can I hide this from him?"

He patted her hand and gracefully stood. "You will find a way."

She frowned and stood as he turned to walk away. "Hang on a second. I still have questions! I mean, what do I do once Carlisle gets me there? Like, do I have to be in the middle of things or what? You can't just leave me hanging like this."

He turned back and cupped her cheek. "Have the cold one place you where you can see the battle. That will be enough."

"Fantastic," she nearly sneered. "Now I'm a mascot or something? A pasty white good luck charm? What do I need to do? There's gotta be more to it then hanging out and watching while shit goes down!"

"Peace, daughter, your spirit will know what to do when the time comes. Listen to your inner voice."

"Inner voice…right…" She hung her head, then gave a slow nod and when she looked back up, he was gone. "Well, shit," she muttered before gathering the blanket and trekking back to Lisa's house.

Before entering, she shook out and folded the blanket, stopping short when she nearly bumped into her father. "Whoa," he said, grabbing her upper arms to steady her.

"Dad, what are you doing here? Thought you'd be at work."

He raised a brow. "It's 4:30, and there was nothing going on, so I came home. What are you doing here?"

She bit her lip. "Crap, 4:30 already? And I came to, uh…take a walk in the woods."

His eyes narrowed. "Paul know you're here?"

She shrugged a shoulder. "Not exactly."

"Uh huh," he said as his gaze bore into her. "You staying for dinner?"

She shook her head and adjusted the blanket over her arm. "No, I hadn't planned on being here this late. I just came to return the blanket I borrowed, but I need to get home. Paul should be getting off work soon, if he isn't already."

"Uh huh…" he said in typical Charlie fashion while studying her closely. "Just what were you doing in the woods, anyway?"

She gave him her best disarming wide grin. "Would you buy that I was communing with the Spirits? Because, as crazy as it sounds, it's true."

"Ehh…jesus," he said with a sigh while pinching the bridge of his nose. "Sure, why not?"

She tossed the blanket on the hall bench and hugged him. "Great. I'll see you later, okay. Give Lisa my love."

"Will do," he muttered with a slow shake of his head as she walked out the door. "Never gonna get used to this shit," he grumbled on his way to the living room. Maybe there was a game on. Something—anything to get his mind off all the supernatural crap…

With a deep sigh, he settled back in his recliner and switched on the flat screen as the sound of Paul's truck pulling out of their drive faded into the distance.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Angela was just burping the baby over her shoulder when Jake walked in the front door, his t-shirt stained with smudges of grease from working on cars all day. He'd had to make the hard choice and quit school to bring in a steady income. Billy hated that he'd done it, but they didn't really have a choice.

"Hi Ang," he said, leaning down to kiss her cheek before walking into the kitchen to grab a water out of the fridge.

He walked back in, peeled off his soiled shirt and flopped into a chair while watching her finish up feeding the baby. "How's he doing?"

She looked up and smiled. "He's been great. He's a really good baby." She looked down and cooed, "Aren't you, Ry? My little sweetheart."

Jake swallowed a sip of water and grinned. "You're really good with him."

She grinned back. "Thanks, he makes it easy."

They'd finally sat down together and hashed out his name when it was clear Rachel wasn't coming back any time soon. Billy had opted out, leaving it up to the budding couple, and between the two of them, they'd decided on the name Ryker Ephraim Black. Jake had even gone to the county clerk's office the day before and made it official.

"How was work? You must be tired, especially since you didn't give yourself much time to recover from that vaccine."

He shrugged and took another sip of water. "It was busy, but not bad. Simple stuff and it's not like the vaccine took it outta me like it did to some."

She frowned. "Yeah, I heard Sam had a really tough time of it."

He nodded and stifled a shudder at the memory of the pained moans and occasional screams that had come from the Alpha's room at the clinic. He was grateful they'd had Dr. Fang on hand to deal with the powerful shifter, otherwise things could've gotten really ugly. "He did. He's okay now though. Heard he went home today."

"Good. That'll take some of the pressure off the rest of you guys. He was the last to leave the clinic, right? Everyone's done now?"

"Yep, we're all set and everybody made it. Now we just have a war to fight."

Angela frowned and looked away. "Hey," Jake murmured while covering her hand with his much larger one. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought it up."

She shook her head. "No, it's okay. I'm just worried for all of you, you know?" she asked as Billy rolled into the room from the hallway.

"Hey kid, you're home. How was work?" He situated his chair in his usual spot next to the side table and flipped on the TV before motioning for Angela to hand him the baby. "I'll keep an eye on him since it smells like dinner's about done."

"Thanks Billy," she said while placing the tiny bundle in the crook of his grandfather's arm.

She headed into the kitchen to get dinner out of the oven just as Jake took a deep gulp of water and shrugged. "Work was work. Business is steady, which is good news. At least it means a steady pay check."

Billy's lips thinned and he shook his head. "I really wish things were different, kid."

Jake scoffed. "Yeah, me too, but you know what wishing is worth, right? Doesn't pay the bills or put food on the table."

Billy eyed his son for a beat. "You're old before your time, kid. It breaks my heart."

"It is what it is, Dad." He grabbed his dirty shirt and muttered, "I'm gonna grab a quick shower before dinner."

Billy sighed and watched his son go, his heart heavy with guilt over the burdens his young son had stepped up to carry.

He was too young. He should be going to school, planning for college and having the time of his life. Instead, he was working full-time to support their family and he couldn't help but think that none of it was fair.

He was proud of his son though. He'd really stepped up and without complaint—once Rachel was gone.

Angela walked back out and gently took the baby. "I'm gonna go put him in his crib, so we can eat when Jake gets out."

"Thank you, sweetheart," Billy said with a smile at the girl who'd turned out to be such a blessing to his family. As far as he was concerned, she was perfect, and no one would ever convince him otherwise. She was selfless, diligent, amazing with the baby and best of all, she was head over heels in love with his son, even if she hadn't admitted it yet.

Not to mention, he was pretty damn sure Jake loved her too, and the Chief made sure to thank the Spirits every day for bringing her into their lives. He really didn't want to think what life would be like without her, especially since Rachel had left them in the lurch—again.

Jake and Angela walked in holding hands and Billy switched off the TV and followed them into the kitchen where he parked himself at the table.

"Billy, iced tea?" Angela asked as Jake plated the food and set it on the table.

"Yeah, sounds good," he said. Really, what he wanted was a cold beer, but he'd been limiting that to when Charlie would come to watch a game with him.

She set a glass for each of them and took her seat. "This looks really good, honey, thank you," he said while watching his son dig in like he hadn't eaten in a week. He smirked. "Hungry, son?"

Jake paused, fork midway to his mouth as his eyes darted to his father. "Starved," he said with a sheepish smile before looking at his imprint. "It's really good, baby, thanks. It's chicken, right?"

She exchanged an amused glance with Billy. "You're welcome. Glad you like it. And yes, it's chicken parmesan."

"I'm just glad it's not fish," he muttered before going back to eating.

Billy snorted and reached for his tea. He took a long drink and set it back. "So, I was thinking, why don't you both take some online courses? I asked Charlie about it and he picked up some information from the community college in Port Angeles. Remind me, and I'll get it for you after dinner."

Jake swallowed and nodded. "Yeah, they have some auto cert courses I need, so that'll be good."

Billy's brow creased. "I was thinking you should finish your general education first."

Jake glanced at him and shook his head. "I need to focus on what pays the bills for now, Dad. The other stuff will have to wait."

He sighed and looked at Angela who gave him an understanding smile. "What about you, sweetheart?"

She nodded and dabbed her mouth with a napkin. "Yeah, that might be good. I tested out and got my diploma from Forks High, but I really do want to get a degree. I'd love to teach someday."

"You'd be a great teacher, baby," Jake said, shoveling in another bite just as the doorbell rang. He wiped his mouth and tossed the napkin down while scooting his chair out. "I'll get it."

Angela eased back into her seat as he walked to the door. He opened it and stepped back. "Charlie, come on in."

Charlie jerked his head toward the cruiser. "Step out with me, Jacob."

Jake frowned but stepped out and closed the door behind him. "What's up?"

Charlie rubbed his brow before locking his gaze with his best friend's kid. "There's no easy way to do this," he said with a heavy sigh. "There's been a car accident and I'm pretty sure your sister was involved. She didn't have any identification on her though, so I need you to come and ID the body."

Jake sucked in a breath. "She's dead?"

"Yeah, kid, but I don't wanna say anything to your father until we get a positive ID."

Jake swallowed past the lump in his throat and nodded. "Yeah…yeah, sure, lemme just…" he waved toward the door before running a hand over his hair. "Shit, lemme just let Ang and Dad know I'm taking off and I'll be right out," he said while squaring his shoulders.

"I'll wait in the car," Charlie muttered.

Jake walked back in and paused to take a few slow breaths and get his shit together before entering the kitchen. When he stepped in, Billy looked up and smiled. "Who was it, son?"

"Just one of the guys. Uh, I need to take off for a bit. I shouldn't be gone long."

Angela frowned at the look in Jake's eyes. It was closed, distant, and he looked tense. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah, it's all good." He leaned down and gave her a quick kiss. "I'll be back soon." He headed to his room and grabbed his wallet, keys and phone, slipping it all into pockets as Angela walked in.

"What's really going on, Jake?"

He closed his eyes for a beat before facing her. "I'll explain everything when I get back, okay?" he said while running a thumb over her cheek.

She studied his eyes for a beat and nodded. "Okay, just…be careful."

He smiled sadly. "It's nothing like that, don't worry." He leaned down and kissed her softly. "I'll see you in a bit."

"All right."

He left the house and joined Charlie in the cruiser, staying silent until they'd pulled out on the main road. "Was she alone?"

He looked over as Charlie sighed. "No kid, Embry was driving. Based on what we found in the car, we think there were drugs involved."

His eyes widened. "Embry? How is he? Was he hurt?"

"Yeah, he was, but I don't know how bad. He was transported to Forks General. Thankfully, Dr. Cullen's on duty."

Jake ran a hand through his hair. "Shit… Does Sam know?"

Charlie glanced over. "Elliot was supposed to call him. We'll see when we get there."

"Jesus… What the hell was Em doing with my sister?"

"I don't know, kid."

"What kinda drugs?"

Charlie looked grave. "Looked like heroin."

Jake scrubbed a hand over his face. "He pulls outta this, he's in for an ass kicking."

Charlie hummed what Jake took to be agreement and made the turn into the hospital parking lot. They got out and walked in through the emergency entrance nodding at those who greeted him as they passed.

When they reached a curtained off room, he paused. "You ready for this?"

Jake scoffed. "Does it matter? Let's just get it over with."

Charlie sighed. "Right." He pulled back the curtain and stepped toward the gurney as Jake stifled a cringe at the heavy scent of blood. Charlie lifted the sheet that draped the body and Jake sucked in a sharp breath with a nod.

"Yeah, that's her." All he could see was her face and shoulders, but it was his sister, there was no mistaking, and besides, her scent matched up. Charlie dropped the sheet and nodded. "What now?" Jake asked past the lump in his throat.

"Well, there'll be an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death, and then the body'll be released to the family."

Jake nodded. "This is gonna kill Dad," he muttered.

Charlie reached over and gripped his shoulder. "I'm here for you. You want me there when you tell him?"

Jake met his gaze. "I…yeah, maybe that'd be best. You were there for him when mom died, I think he'd want you there for this. I just don't know what to say to him. How do I…" he choked up and turned his face, "how can I tell him his daughter's dead, Charlie? I just…this'll kill him…I just can't."

Charlie squeezed his shoulder. "It's okay kid. I'll do it. You've got enough to deal with."

"Fuck…" Jake choked as a tear rolled down his cheek. "When do we get a break, Charlie?" He met the Chief's steady gaze. "When will life decide we've had enough and quit making us its bitch?"

Charlie gave Jake's shoulder a firm shake. "Think of that girl you've been blessed with and that baby that needs you."

Jake wiped the tears from his face with a swipe of his sleeve and nodded. What the Chief said was true. He needed to stand strong for his father and Ang and Ry. He couldn't afford to let them down. "You're right, thanks," he said with a nod before smiling bitterly. "No fucking time for pity parties."

Charlie pursed his lips and shook his head. "'Fraid not, kid. Welcome to adulthood."

Jake scoffed. "Was I ever really a kid, Charlie?" He turned toward the curtain as Carlisle walked in. "How's Embry? Is Sam here?"

"I'm sorry for your loss," Carlisle said. "Embry is stable and should regain consciousness soon. I've arranged to have him transferred to the clinic on the reservation. I thought it best, for obvious reasons. He'll be transported by ambulance in just a bit."

"Sure, sure," Jake said with a nod. "Sam here yet?"

Carlisle nodded. "He is."

Jake narrowed his eyes. "And the drugs? Was he high?"

Carlisle's lips pressed into a line. "I can only disclose that information to family. I'm sorry."

Jake scowled. "He _is_ family to me. You of all people should understand that."

The blond doctor sighed before shooting the tense shifter a loaded glance. "They were both smoking heroin. I can tell by the scent of their blood," he admitted quietly.

"God damn it," Jake muttered. "I'm gonna kick his ass."

"Get in line," a familiar voice uttered before the curtain was pulled aside and Sam entered looking for all the world like he'd love nothing more than to murder someone.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Bella entered the house as quietly as possible, cringing at the sound the keys made as she dropped them in the glass bowl on the hall table. Why she bothered with being stealthy, she didn't know, because it was damn near impossible to sneak anything by her shifter. His senses were just too sharp.

Sure enough, just as she was toeing off her fur-lined boots, she heard him making his way down the stairs. "Bella?"

"Yeah," she answered in a normal tone.

He rounded the corner and pulled her into his arms, his face dropping to take in her scent at her neck. "Missed you," he mumbled while rocking her side to side and she smiled as her eyes closed. She could never get enough of him; his scent, the feel of his strong arms around her, his warmth.

Placing a kiss to his chest, she murmured, "I missed you too."

He pulled back and frowned as his nostrils flared. "Why do you smell like the woods?"

Her eyes darted away and she pulled away with a shrug. "I went for a walk on the rez," she muttered while heading to the kitchen. "I made chile colorado in the crock pot. Hope that's okay."

"You take someone with you?"

She heaved a sigh, knowing this wasn't gonna go over well. "No."

She glanced at him and his eyes narrowed as he leaned against the door frame. "How many times have I told you it's not safe for you to go out walking in the woods alone?"

She turned toward him. "I wasn't _exactly_ alone once I got there, and as you can see, I'm fine. Now, can we please drop this?"

"No, we can't drop this. What do you mean you weren't alone once you got there?"

She turned and grabbed a container of rice from the cupboard. "This'll take a few minutes to cook, then we can eat."

"Don't ignore me, Shorty."

She measured out the rice and began rinsing it when he reached around her and turned off the water. She tensed and stared out the window over the sink. "There's nothing to talk about. I met with our Spirit Father, okay? And no, I can't share what he said, so don't ask."

He grasped her arm and turned her to face him. "Why do you insist on putting yourself at risk? And now, you're not just risking yourself, but our kid too. Shouldn't I have a say in that? When's it gonna sink in," he quietly growled with a tap to her temple, "that there are vampires out there trying to get through our protections? Vampires that would kill you the first chance they get!"

Her temper flared and she shoved against him with both hands. She didn't move him by much and she fully knew he only moved to pacify her, but she was reaching the end of her patience. "Look, I do what I feel I need to do and today, I felt I needed to do this. You don't understand the draw. When the Spirits call…"

"Aw, fuck the Spirits!" he snarled, tossing both hands in the air as his eyes flashed with his rising temper. "Haven't they fucked with our lives enough?"

Her chin tilted and she met his gaze squarely. "You may feel that way, but Paul, I need to do my part. You're just gonna have to understand that and give me the freedom to do what I need to do."

"Not at the risk of your life!"

"We're all risking our lives here!"

He smirked but there wasn't a shred of humor in it. "You're not. Not anymore."

He spun and stalked off and she went after him, grabbing his arm just as he grabbed his phone. "What the hell are you doing? Who are you calling?"

He yanked his arm from her hold and began scrolling the contacts. "Your mother. I'm sending your ass back to her until this shit's over."

She gaped at him. "You can't do that." She crossed her arms and leaned forward as she hissed, "I won't go."

He cocked a brow and leaned toward her. "Oh, you'll go. I already talked to Charlie and he's agreed to take you and my mother back to Arizona until this shit-fest's over."

Her eyes narrowed. "I. Won't. Go. And neither of you can force me."

"You'll go, even if I have to pick you up and load you in the back of his cruiser, you'll go."

Her mind raced, knowing full well he'd do it. She also knew Charlie would probably go along with it, and once in the back seat of a cop car, there was no way out until he let her out. "You wouldn't dare," she hissed.

He studied her for a beat before quietly saying, "To save your life, you bet your sweet ass I would. I love you too much to let something happen to you, Bella, and it's clear to me you have this notion in your head that you have some sort of role in all this. I can't trust you not to do something stupid behind my back. I can't let that happen."

He went back to making the call and she lunged for the phone, knocking it out of his hand where the screen shattered as it landed. "Fuck!" he cursed as he picked it up to examine the damage. He threw the ruined phone at the wall where it exploded into pieces. "Fine, you're just prolonging the inevitable," he said as he turned back to her, "because you're going. If I can't arrange for you to stay at your mother's place, you'll just stay at my Aunt's house with Mom and Charlie."

"I'll go to the elders," she threatened. "After I explain things to them, they won't approve your little plan. I love you Paul, but I'm not gonna go along with this. I can't."

His body began to tremble and she knew he was barely containing the wolf. "You'd pull rank on me? On me?!" he yelled, his eyes flashing amber as he loomed over her, and for the first time, she found herself fearing him.

He grabbed her and pushed her over the arm of the couch, and she shivered as he leaned down, his warm breath wafting over her cheek as he whispered, "You're mine…_my_ mate," he growled with a nip to the mark on her neck. "I can smell your fear…_he_ can smell your fear," he continued, his hands roaming down her sides to her ass as her breath picked up speed, "and now we can smell how wet you're getting, and the wolf, Bella…that fucker _likes_ it…he likes that very much." He chuckled lowly as his hand dipped between her legs, rubbing the dampened cloth of her panties. "Is that what I need to do, huh, Bella? Do I need to fuck you into submission? Show you who your alpha is?"

"Paul," she breathed as he rubbed his hard cock against her ass. "You utter bastard," she moaned while pushing back against him. "You don't fight fair."

With one hand, he rid her of her yoga pants and panties while placing opened mouth kisses along the side of her neck and the next second, she cried out as he pushed into her from behind. "Mine," he growled as he pulled all the way out before snapping his hips forward, drawing a sharp gasp from her as he buried himself to the hilt.

"Oh god," she moaned with a wild toss of her head, pushing back as she widened her stance to get him deeper. "More," she demanded with a glance over her shoulder.

She nearly growled when he smirked and stilled, his wolf still right at the surface and his cock buried deeply within her. "What do you want more of, Bella?"

She squirmed but he held her hips firmly, that infuriating smirk still in place as she snarled. "You know what I want!"

He gave her half a pump and raised a brow. "I wanna hear you, my mate. What do you want?"

She squirmed again and tried to push back, but again, he held fast. "You, god damn it! I want you to fuck me, or get the hell off and leave me alone!"

He pulled back and slid in slowly, grinding against her ass. She groaned in frustration as he reached down and tugged her shirt up and over her head before running his hands down to cup her breasts. "Paul, please…"

He slid out and stroked back in, just as slowly. "Who do you belong to?" he demanded as she pushed back again.

"Myself!" she snapped, now struggling in earnest. Again, he leaned down and nipped her mark to still her.

"That's bullshit," he breathed, "and we both know it."

He pulled back and surged back in and she tossed her head with a whimper. "Paul, oh god, please…"

"Who do you belong to?" he questioned again with another slow thrust of his cock and she choked back a frustrated sob.

"You," she whispered. "I belong to you…"

"That's right," he growled, "and don't you forget it." With that, he grasped her hips to steady her and set up a brutal pace, fucking her hard and fast as she cried out in pleasured relief.

Her orgasm built quickly after that and she came with a shriek of his name just a few thrusts later as he stilled with a gasp against her bare shoulder and came deep within her.

Gently, he pulled her up against his chest, turning her head to the side and kissing her softly before murmuring, "I love you, Bella…I love you, and our kid," he said as his hand gently rested over her belly, "and can't lose you…either of you."

She turned in his hold and rested her head against his chest as he buried his face in her hair, his arms holding her snugly. "You're not gonna lose me," she quietly reassured, "but we _have_ to see this thing through together. You're just gonna have to trust me. Do you trust me?"

He tensed and the silence stretched between them. "I do…in _some_ things…but do I trust you not to do something stupid in this fight?" He raised his head and met her gaze, his eyes full of pain and regret. "No, I don't."

Her eyes slowly closed and she nodded sadly. "I'm not leaving, Paul. I'll fight you if I have to, in every way available." She looked up at him, pulling him into a slow kiss, before drawing back to look in his eyes. "It's crucial that I stay, whether you like it or not. One day, you'll understand."

With that, she gathered her clothes, went upstairs, and closed their door.

**Your thoughts?**

**Please review,**

**Till next time, ~Spudz**


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